ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey summoned the ambassador of NATO member Sweden this week to complain about “insulting content” directed at President Tayyip Erdogan on Swedish TV, according to a report published by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.
According to Anadolu, Swedish Ambassador Staffan Herrström was told by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry that the “unacceptable and ugly expression and images” about Erdogan and Turkey seen on Swedish TV were unacceptable.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Sweden and Finland applied for membership in NATO. Currently, 28 of NATO’s 30 member states have approved the application, but Turkey has raised objections.
Meanwhile, a Swedish delegation was due to arrive in Ankara to discuss the extradition of people reclassified by Turkey as terrorists, which Ankara insists is a condition for approving Sweden and Finland’s NATO bid.
Downplaying the importance of the satirical “Svenska nyheter” TV show, Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said the incident would harm her country’s chances of joining NATO.
Swedish News, which routinely mocks Swedish and international politicians, targeted Erdogan for alleged human rights abuses and ended the feature by shouting “Long live democracy!”
Swedish public service television is tax-financed, but operates independently.