Turkey Approves Sweden’s NATO Bid, Pressuring Hungary
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BUDAPEST/ANKARA (Worthy News) – Hungary came under pressure Wednesday to approve Sweden’s membership of the NATO-military alliance after Turkey’s parliament ratified the Nordic nation’s entry.
The Turkish General Assembly, where President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling alliance holds a majority, voted 287-55 to approve the membership application. Erdogan was due to sign the ratification.
Sweden first made the application in 2022 to bolster its security in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey’s historic decision cleared the biggest hurdle to expand the Western military alliance after 20 months of delay.
It endorsed Finland’s membership in April last year but, along with Hungary, had kept Sweden waiting.
Turkey raised objections over what it said was Sweden’s protection of groups it deems terrorists, including critics of the president.
SUPPORTING ENLARGEMENT
Yet after lengthy political wrangling and behind-the-scenes talks, “We support NATO enlargement to improve the alliance’s deterrence efforts… We hope Finland and Sweden’s attitude towards fighting terrorism sets an example for our other allies,” said Fuat Oktay, head of parliament’s foreign affairs commission and a ruling AK Party member.
However, all NATO nations must approve the expansion, with Hungary now the last country to hold up the process.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had earlier expressed reservations about NATO membership for Sweden as it has questioned his government’s democratic credentials.
Sweden also criticized the reported erosion of the rule of law and a crackdown on independent critical media in Hungary.
The Swedish embassy in Budapest, for instance, condemned a government-backed blacklist of critical journalists, which included the names of a Worthy News reporter and seven other journalists.
However, as Turkey’s vote was underway, Orbán said Tuesday he had invited his Swedish counterpart to visit Budapest to discuss NATO membership, raising hopes of a breakthrough.
COUNTING ON HUNGARY
After the Turkish move, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “I also count on Hungary to complete its national ratification as soon as possible.”
Hungary’s parliament, in which Orbán’s Fidesz party has a majority so far, delayed voting on the issue, clearly waiting on Turkey’s move.
It is in recess until around mid-February, the first moment when it could potentially vote on Sweden’s entry.
Turkey and Hungary are both seen as the most pro-Russia NATO members. They both condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but criticized Western sanctions.
Sweden, whose membership bid marked a historic shift away from a non-aligned security policy, would enhance NATO defenses in the Baltic Sea region facing Russia.
Nordic nations and Baltic countries fear they could be the next target for Russia’s military after it invaded Ukraine.
However, Moscow warned that it would respond if NATO bolstered military infrastructure in Sweden and Norway, the two Nordic states.
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