UPDATE - Swedish foreign minister criticizes politicians for waving PKK rags

UPDATES WITH MORE STATEMENTS BY SWEDEN'S FOREIGN MINISTER AND SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER

By Leila Nezirevic and Atila Altuntas

LONDON / STOCKHOLM (AA) - Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom on Saturday strongly criticized two Left Party politicians for waving PKK terrorist organization rags in the council hall.

"PKK is a terrorist organization and this type of behavior does not belong in a democracy," he wrote on Twitter.

In an interview with public broadcaster SR, Billstrom said: "As organizations such as the YPG and PYD have links with the PKK, which is on the EU’s terror list, we will distance ourselves from these organizations in order not to spoil our relations with Türkiye."

Sweden's new Prime Minister ​​Ulf Kristersson also said that Sweden could not cooperate with those who have close relations with the PKK terrorist organization.

"As part of our decision, we will firmly oppose any activity that raises or supports terrorism on Swedish territories," Kristersson told Swedish TV channel TV4.

Former Justice Minister Morgan Johansson described the new government's decision to distance itself from the PKK/YPG terror group as "worrying and heinous."

Underlining that the government took the decision without presenting it to parliament, Johansson argued that the decision was unacceptable.

Earlier this year, three other left-wing members of parliament posed with PKK rags.

Sweden's then-Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said that the actions by the politicians were extremely inappropriate.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the EU, and US, and is responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

The Swedish state has classified PKK as a terrorist group since 1984.

*Zehra Nur Duz contributed to the story in Ankara.