Turkey: Sweden's Latest Public Burning of the Quran Will Hinder NATO Membership

Turkey's Minister of Justice, Yilmaz Tunç, has stated that the latest incident involving the public burning of the Quran in Sweden will complicate the country's further rapprochement with NATO.

“Especially ahead of the NATO summit, Swedish authorities, who wish to be allies with Turkey, must put an end to the illegal actions and provocations occurring in their country under the guise of freedom and take the necessary measures,” Tunç's remarks were quoted by EFE news agency.

The Turkish Justice Minister labeled the position of the Swedish police, which allowed the burning of the Quran near a mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday, as “scandalous.”

“Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, and attacks against believers cannot be justified by freedom of expression,” he said. “No legal decision can justify such an attack. No democratic constitutional state can tolerate such a situation.”

For his part, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned the incident as “disgraceful,” noting that it took place on the first day of the Muslim sacrificial feast.

“It is unacceptable that such anti-Islamic actions are permitted under the guise of freedom of expression. Turning a blind eye to such monstrous acts amounts to complicity in a crime,” Fidan stated.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Quran was burned in front of a mosque in Stockholm, an action that took place in the presence of around 200 people under police supervision.

Sweden aspires to join NATO; however, Turkey is vehemently opposed to this due to such incidents.