Turkish parliament may discuss Sweden's NATO membership in coming weeks
The parliament of Türkiye will discuss Sweden's membership in NATO in the coming weeks (GettyImages)
Abdullah Güler, chairman of Türkiye's ruling party's parliamentary group, says MPs could consider Sweden's NATO membership bid in the coming weeks, according to The Guardian.
Güler says that after January 16, when MPs return from winter vacation, the parliament of Türkiye may include Sweden's application to join the North Atlantic Alliance on its agenda "in the coming weeks."
All NATO allies except Türkiye and Hungary have already completed the ratification process for Sweden's accession. However, officials say that there are signals that the Scandinavian country's accession to the Alliance is approaching.
Sweden's accession to NATO
Sweden applied for NATO membership last year. For a country to become part of the Alliance, its application must be ratified by all member states.
In response to Ankara's demands, Stockholm has tightened its anti-terrorism laws. At the end of November, the Swedish Foreign Ministry stated that Türkiye would approve the application "within weeks."
On December 26, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament finally Türkiye approved Sweden's application to join NATO. The last word is up to the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (parliament).
On January 1, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed confidence that Sweden would become part of the Alliance by July 2024.
