NATO is waiting for Hungary and Turkey to accept Finland and Sweden
The Hungarian parliament has not yet voted on Sweden’s and Finland’s bid for NATO membership. Although there is speculation about the reasons, Turkey remains the biggest obstacle for the two Nordic countries.
Hungary and Turkey are still the last two NATO countries that have not yet ratified Sweden’s and Finland’s accession.
The Hungarian government did not speak out against the membership of the two Nordic countries: in July, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó submitted to the Riksdag the bills on the Finnish and Swedish applications for membership. The press department of the parliament told the Hungarian news site Telex previously “that the vote on the two countries’ NATO membership is on the autumn agenda – which began on September 26 – but did not say exactly when it would take place”.
The opposition Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) proposed that the vote take place on Tuesday (October 4), but the ruling majority voted down their motion. According to Social Democratic member of parliament Bertalan Tóth, “Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO strengthens the ambition to jointly guarantee the security of our citizens. MSZP expects the Hungarian government to strengthen this as well”.
The Hungarian government has not indicated that it could block the two countries’ accession. The fall semester started just a week ago. The governing majority probably does not plan to have MSZP’s demands as a basis for the timing of the vote. It could also be a subtle political signal, as the leading Swedish and Finnish political forces regularly vote against Hungary in the EU institutions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech in Turkey’s parliament on Saturday that his country will not ratify the membership bid until Sweden and Finland keep the promises they made to Ankara. “We are closely monitoring whether Sweden’s and Finland’s promises are kept or not, and the final decision will of course be up to our great Riksdag,” he said, according to TRT The three countries beat one act in June, under which Turkey expects Finland and Sweden to lift arms embargoes imposed on Turkey, toughen their laws against Kurdish militant activists whom Ankara considers terrorists and address Turkish extradition requests for them. The first has recently occurred, but Turkey does not think that the Nordic countries are showing sufficient commitment to the latter issue.
Featured image via Flickr/NATO