Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun answered the questions of the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter regarding Sweden's membership application to NATO and stated, "Before this application, they may have assumed, 'Türkiye would be convinced somehow', or 'Türkiye will not oppose anyhow'. However, Türkiye is not the Türkiye of the past. Today, Türkiye guards its interests at all costs and demands eye-level relations with all interlocutors on all platforms."
Director of Communications Altun noted that Türkiye had strong political and economic ties with Sweden and that official contacts between the two nations date back to the early 17th century.
Director of Communications Altun said that the Turkish people had significant concerns and doubts towards Sweden and added:
"The protection of terrorist organisations under the guise of 'freedom of expression' and 'political asylum' casts a distinct shadow on the sincerity of Sweden. Under the current circumstances, it is impossible for us to justify to the Turkish people how and why we will form a military alliance with a country that provides a safe haven to the PKK, which was involved in the assassination of Olof Palme and carried out suicide attacks in Türkiye, and to FETO, which attempted a coup and murdered 251 innocent people."
Director of Communications Altun emphasised that Turkish citizens demanded "not words, but actions" when it came to the protection of life and property, adding, "Sweden must make a concrete and lasting policy shift on terrorism. For us, extraditing terrorists to Türkiye and preventing terrorist organisations from functioning on Swedish territory are sine qua nons."
Director of Communications Altun responded to a question regarding the outcome of negotiations with the Swedish and Finnish delegations in Ankara last week, "I would like to underline that what we said to the Swedish government representatives in Ankara is identical to what we have said on public platforms. The same applies to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's approach to political leadership. The intention and language of the Turkish nation are likewise the same."
"Terrorism is an issue that cannot be negotiated or bargained over"
Director of Communications Altun noted that Türkiye's sensitivity to terrorism predated Sweden's ambition to become a NATO member and that the existence of terrorist organisations in Sweden was not an issue that only emerged in the past few weeks.
Director of Communications Altun emphasised that NATO's seriousness in the fight against terrorism was also plainly obvious and stated:
"Before this application, they may have assumed, Türkiye would be convinced somehow', or Türkiye will not oppose anyhow'. However, Türkiye is not the Türkiye of the past. Today, Türkiye guards its interests at all costs and demands eye-level relations with all interlocutors on all platforms. Everyone needs to get used to this fact. In fact, we believe it is inappropriate for NATO to be preoccupied with Sweden and Finland in this critical period. NATO membership is not a right but a privilege. Those nations that wish to join this alliance may do so if they meet the requirements. Especially, terrorism is an issue that cannot be negotiated or bargained over. What happens next is up to the Swedish government. We will not interfere with the internal affairs of Sweden."
"Our Swedish interlocutors should not take this situation personally"
When asked how the issue will impact the relations between the two countries, Director of Communications Altun responded as follows:
"I do not believe that Sweden's membership in NATO is about bilateral relations. Because Sweden's NATO membership has only been discussed in the past three to four months. Moreover, Türkiye has been unfairly held in the waiting room of the European Union, of which Sweden is a member, subjected to double standards for decades, but our bilateral relations with Sweden continue. So, our Swedish interlocutors should not take this situation personally. Türkiye takes a principled stance on this issue. We also made our expectations clear. If the Swedish government fails to meet these reasonable requirements, this is their responsibility."
In response to the question, "Do you think Sweden belongs in NATO?", Director of Communications Altun said, "The addressee of this question is the Swedish government. Is it preferable for the Swedish people to reside in a NATO member state or protect terrorist groups that attempt a coup or carry out suicide attacks in a NATO state? Sweden needs to decide on that."
Emphasising that, as Türkiye, they view terrorism as a crime against humanity and the fight against terrorism as a universal responsibility, Director of Communications Altun noted that they found it strange that Sweden hesitated to take a step on this issue and that the Turkish people were dismayed by this inaction.
"NATO is far more than a mere international organisation"
Noting that Türkiye has been a NATO member for 70 years and has the second-largest army in the alliance, Director of Communications Altun said, "Our soldiers fought in Korea. They went to many parts of the world, from Kosovo to Afghanistan, as part of NATO. In our view, NATO is far more than a mere international organisation. Frankly, I do not believe that Türkiye needs to prove itself when it comes to NATO."
Noting that Türkiye's contributions and dedication to the security of its allies are evident, Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye continued to do its utmost so that NATO could maintain its strength, respond to new threats, and promote peace and stability.