Turkish President Erdogan is demanding that the agreement concluded during the NATO summit in Madrid between Turkey and the two northern European countries is respected. In this agreement, Sweden and Finland make promises to Turkey about fighting the PKK and related organizations and in return receive Turkey’s support for joining NATO. But Erdogan has now stated that if Sweden and Finland do not comply with the agreement, it will not be sent to parliament in Ankara for necessary ratification. “If Sweden and Finland fulfill their obligations as stated in the text, we are also doing our duty. If they don’t, the text will not be sent to our parliament,” Erdogan said.
Ten points
The big question is how the three countries interpret the agreement reached. Erdogan has received important promises in black and white. The ten points also mention the “prompt and thorough processing of deportation or extradition requests from terrorist suspects, taking into account information, evidence and intelligence provided by Turkey in accordance with the European Convention on Extradition.” Turkey wants to immediately put it to the test and asks for the extradition of no fewer than 73 suspects who are classified as terrorists by Ankara. Previously, the Turkish justice minister had 33 suspects on his wish list. The number is expanding rapidly.
But it is unlikely that Turkey will be served at its beck and call. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has already announced that people who have Swedish nationality will not be extradited in any case. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö argues that extradition is a legal issue that politicians cannot influence.