Sweden's New Anti-Terror Bill Marks A Step Towards NATO Membership

A new bill introducing prison terms for supporters of terrorist groups will come into force in Sweden on Thursday.

This is signalling a significant step towards the country's NATO membership.

The bill aims to make supporting a terrorist organization a punishable offence, carrying prison terms of up to four years.

This development holds special meaning for Stockholm, as it seeks approval from Turkey, a crucial partner of the alliance, before the upcoming NATO summit in Latvia in July.

Turkey has consistently voiced its opposition to Sweden's NATO membership unless specific conditions are met.

These conditions primarily include the implementation of strict measures against terrorist groups and the extradition of wanted members of these organizations to Turkey.

While the anti-terror bill's implementation is a step in the right direction, Turkish officials emphasize that it alone is not sufficient for approval.

However, the outcome of the May 28 runoff election may expedite the decision-making process in Turkey regardless of approval or rejection.