Tobias Billström (M): We expect Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO application

In the midst of burning Korans, Erdogan dolls, overtures from the cooperation party Sweden Democrats and a possible Finnish NATO entry without Sweden, stands Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) – one of the main characters who has the almost impossible task of securing NATO membership.

But he is determined that there will be a breakthrough and points out that Sweden has fulfilled its part of the Madrid agreement.

- We expect the Turkish parliament to ratify Sweden's and Finland's NATO membership applications.

The critics, however, seem far from convinced.

"Calm down the debate in Sweden" exhorts Finland's former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, "Sweden is heading into a blackmail trap" Turkey experts warn.

DN's Moscow correspondent, Anna-Lena Lauren, calls on the government to stop with the "bullying".

Ann Linde does not want to criticize

When the Politikbyrån asks Billström if he is self-critical about how the process has progressed, the answer is:

- It is still going on so long enough, once we have become members, there is probably reason to evaluate it as a whole.

One who does not want to criticize Billström is Ann Linde (S), who says this about her successor:

- He is moderate.

He is patient.

He is persistent.

And he is meticulous.

I think these are good qualities when you have a difficult and long-term process like this, she tells Politikbyrån.

At the same time, she is critical of how the government base, i.e. the Sweden Democrats, has acted.

SD play arouses criticism

SD's party leader Jimmie Åkesson recently called President Erdogan "an Islamist dictator", while Richard Jomshof, one of the party's main representatives, dismissed Turkey's outrage over Rasmus Paludan's Koran burning with the call to "burn a hundred more Korans".

- It is problematic that you rely so much on SD, who I don't think have been sufficiently responsible and careful, says Linde (S).

Billström agrees that Åkesson's statement was "unnecessary".

- You have to distinguish between Islamists and Islam.

Islamism must of course always be fought.

Islam, on the other hand, is a religion and there are many in Sweden who are followers of this religion who are not Islamists.