PKK terrorist activities in Sweden stymie NATO membership bid, admits minister

By Atila Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) – The Swedish foreign minister has admitted that the PKK terrorist organization's extensive activities in his country are the reason Türkiye is preventing Sweden from joining NATO, an intergovernmental military alliance of 31 countries, 29 European and two North American.

Stockholm has an obligation to deal with this matter and satisfy Türkiye, Tobias Billstrom said in an interview with the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter on Wednesday.

The PKK has "extensive work in Sweden to raise money and finance terrorist activities aimed at Türkiye," the minister was quoted as saying in the daily.

Billstrom added that the organization also uses Sweden as a base for drug sales and other activities that also harm Swedish society.

"The terrorist business is not directed at the Swedish state, but to another state, and that does not make it any less serious," Billstrom said, adding that the terrorist legislation that will come into force on June 1 would assuage Türkiye's concerns.

The Swedish government has proposed amending the Terrorist Crimes Act to include a new offense that would make membership in a terrorist organization a criminal offense.

While it provides for up to eight years in prison for supporting terror groups, providing arms, ammunition, and logistical support, it also gives authorities broader powers to arrest and prosecute those who finance terror groups.

The Swedish parliament is set to ratify the draft bill on May 3, which will go into effect on June 1.

- Sweden's bid to join NATO

After the Russia-Ukraine war began in February last year, Finland, together with Sweden, decided to abandon its decades-long military non-alignment policy and apply for NATO membership.

However, Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, asked the two Nordic countries to take concrete action against terror groups such as the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in order for them to join the alliance.

In June last year, Finland and Sweden signed a memorandum with Türkiye to address Ankara’s security concerns, and senior diplomats and officials from the three countries held various meetings to discuss the implementation of a trilateral agreement.

Last month, Türkiye said it would approve the process of Finland's NATO membership in parliament, adding that Finland had done what was necessary for the membership, whereas Sweden still had work to do.

On March 31, the Turkish parliament approved Finland's bid to join NATO, which showed Türkiye's support for NATO's open-door policy.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

*Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara