Billström (M) refutes the criticism: "This is not a setback"

In the past, there has been a civil peace around the NATO process, but now the Social Democrats are openly criticizing how the government has handled the issue.

According to Morgan Johansson (S), the government has failed.

- It would be very unfortunate if Finland joined without Sweden and the government has not been able to keep the countries together.

In Wednesday's Aktuellt, he meets Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) in a debate, and Billström believes that Johansson is wrong in his assessment.

- We have very close contact with Finland.

This is not adversity.

Criticizes SD's statements

In his criticism, Johansson also turns against the statements made by the Sweden Democrats' Richard Jomshof, regarding Koran burnings.

- Jomshof was out and said that one should burn a hundred more Korans.

This has weakened our position and hurt Sweden.

Then the government should have distanced itself immediately, says Morgan Johansson (S).

Billström believes, however, that there is no connection between Jomshof's statements and Turkey's attitude to Sweden's Natoasnökan.

- This is not what Turkey highlighted.

It is the burning of the Koran itself.

And the Sweden Democrats have not implemented it, you have to be clear about that, says Tobias Billström (M).

The Sweden Democrats decline to participate in Aktuellt, but respond to SVT in writing that the party has nothing to do with the Koran burnings and that "It is a false narrative put forward by the Social Democrats to manipulate the social debate."