Sweden's path into the NATO defense alliance has been an unstable story, but lately the relationship with Turkey had started to hit the right track, says the former prime minister and foreign minister Carl Bildt in this evening's Foreign Office.
When the far-right politician Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of the Koran in Stockholm at the end of January, however, the relationship was thrown into a new, worse crisis.
Carl Bildt says that the Stockholm police should have thought of Sweden's security interests and acted like the Norwegian police who stopped the burning of the Koran.
He also believes that the action will lead to a discussion about what constitutes incitement against a ethnic group and where the limit for freedom of expression is.
- I notice that secular friends in Turkey do not understand that we can allow what they consider a hate crime against their religion and culture.
“Have an obligation to help”
But now the earthquake that hit Turkey could change everything once again.
- We must not forget that we have many people in our country who have a connection to Turkey.
For or against Erdogan, that is beside the point, this is a disaster for their country.
We have an obligation to help, says Carl Bildt.
Click on the clip to see Carl Bildt's criticism of the Stockholm police and see more in the Foreign Office: Bad mood Tuesday at 10pm on SVT2 or from 8pm on SVT Play.