Swedish PM condemns MPs posing with PKK flag amid Türkiye NATO row

STOCKHOLM

Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on July 7 condemned a group of left-wing MPs who posed with PKK terror organization flags as the country’s NATO membership bid faces Turkish pressure over such groups.

NATO on Tuesday kicked off the accession procedures for Sweden and Finland after a deal was struck with Türkiye, which had blocked the Nordic nations from joining.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had accused them of being havens for PKK and FETÖ terrorists.

On Tuesday, images spread on social media showing parliamentarians from the Left Party, which opposed Sweden’s decision to apply for NATO membership, posing with flags from the PKK terror organization, as well as its Syrian offshoot YPG.

The images were taken during an annual political gathering on the island of Gotland.

"The PKK is a designated terror organisation, not just in Sweden, but in the EU and posing with such flags is extremely inappropriate," Andersson told news agency TT.

Sweden’s Left Party is not part of the government but is helping prop up Andersson’s Social Democrat cabinet.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland reversed decades of military non-alignment by applying for NATO membership in mid-May.

While Türkiye approved formally inviting Sweden to join, the accession bid still needs to be ratified by all 30 NATO members.

Erdoğan has warned that his country could still block Sweden and Finland if they fail to implement the deal with Ankara.

Türkiye has also said it is seeking the extradition of 12 suspects from Finland and 21 from Sweden.