Sweden responds to Erdogan's threats to block NATO membership over Quran burning

This is reported by SVT.

“We do not compromise on freedom of expression, it is very clear what is required for Sweden to become a NATO member, and that is that we meet the requirements set out in the trilateral memorandum,” the Swedish Foreign Minister said. 

Billström emphasized that religious issues are not part of the conditions for joining the North Atlantic Alliance, signed by Sweden together with Turkey and Finland.

“And we will do it (joining NATO - ed.) within the framework set by our constitution, our legislation and the principles of legal certainty,” Tobias Billström noted. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country wouldl not support Sweden's application for NATO membership as long as there are possible actions to burn the Quran, the holy book for Muslims.

• During the protests in Sweden on January 21, politician Rasmus Paludan burned a Quran, but the inspiration for this was a journalist from the far-right media outlet Exact24, a subsidiary of Russia Today. Paludan himself said in a commentary to Swedish media that he was going to burn the Quran “every Friday” in front of the Turkish embassy until Turkey stops blocking Sweden's accession to NATO.

• On January 28, Finland's FM hinted that Russia might be involved in a Quran-burning protest that threatens to disrupt Sweden's accession to NATO.