Far-right leader's anti-mosque remarks could undermine Sweden's NATO bid: Former Swedish envoy

By Atila Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) – A far-right Swedish politician proposing blocking new mosques and demolishing existing ones could undermine the country’s NATO hopes, warned a former Swedish diplomat on Sunday.

Jimmie Akesson, leader of the country’s far-right Sweden Democrats, on Saturday proposed a ban on the construction of new mosques and suggested the destruction of existing ones.

Migrants to Sweden should not have the right to build new mosques, he said, suggesting an apparent violation of freedom of religion in the country’s Constitution.

Following the remarks, the Turkish press reported his remarks could undermine Sweden's accession to NATO, said Swedish public broadcaster SVT on Saturday.

Speaking to SVT, Michael Sahlin, Sweden's former ambassador to Türkiye, warned that Akesson's remarks could put up more hurdles to Sweden's NATO membership bid.

"Türkiye already knew that Sweden Democrats said problematic things in the past, but its leader talking about demolishing mosques is very extreme and unfortunate. Akesson's remarks brought a different burden to Sweden's membership to NATO," Sahlin told SVT.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, for his part, told the Swedish news agency TT: "In Sweden, we do not demolish places of worship."

The Sweden Democrats, a party with Nazi roots, became the second-biggest party in parliament in last year’s general elections.

- Sweden's path to NATO membership

On Nov. 16, the Turkish parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee postponed consideration of a measure approving Sweden's NATO accession.

To join the alliance, which Sweden sought after Russia attacked nearby Ukraine, Stockholm has to have the approval of all current NATO members, including Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years.

Türkiye has been expecting concrete steps from Swedish authorities to alleviate Ankara's security concerns regarding support to the PKK terrorist organization.

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