PKK/YPG supporters protest anti-terror memorandum in Sweden
SUPPORTERS of the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian branch YPG demonstrated in Sweden’s capital Stockholm on Saturday to protest the recent counterterrorism memorandum between Turkey, Sweden and Finland.
Participants carried banners and symbols of the terrorist group, as well as posters of its convicted head terrorist Abdullah Öcalan.
The supporters of the terrorist group called on the government to nullify the memorandum signed at the NATO summit in Madrid earlier this week.
Another group of terrorist supporters also gathered at Mollevangstorget Square in the southern city of Malmo.
Meanwhile, Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson refused yesterday to deny Turkey’s claim that it had promised to deport individuals sought by Ankara as part of Stockholm’s efforts to join NATO.
Despite questioning by journalists and concerns among Kurdish and Turkish refugees in Sweden, Andersson would not say whether such a commitment had been given to Ankara for it to lift objections to Sweden’s membership.
“I’ve been a minister for eight years and I never talked about what is said in the negotiation room,” she said.
“(That) actually puts me in a bit of a difficult situation right now,” she added.
Andersson, who was pressed several times on Sunday to say whether such a promise had been given, simply repeated Stockholm’s position.
She said Sweden will continue to respect national and international laws, no Swedish nationals will be extradited, the decision will be up to independent authorities and courts.
“If you are not involved in terrorist activities, there is no need for concern,” she said.
The Swedish leader was holding her first press conference since returning from the summit, during a visit to the Baltic Sea island of Gotland.
Every July, it hosts a week of political meetings bringing together party leaders. But it is also one of the locations due to be reinforced by the Swedish army after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Sweden’s decision to join NATO.