New Quran-burning in Sweden risks inflaming Turkey tensions

Swedish police have authorized another Quran-burning in Stockholm planned for Wednesday afternoon, risking new tensions with Turkey as Sweden waits for Ankara’s backing for it to gain entry to the NATO military alliance in July.

The Quran protest — which reportedly includes two people only — is planned in front of the main mosque in the Swedish capital, according to Swedish media, on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha.

Earlier this year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that if Sweden did not show respect to Turkey or Muslims, he would not support the country’s NATO bid. The remark came after a far-right politician burned a Quran in Stockholm near the Turkish embassy, exacerbating tensions between the two countries.

The police said that the burning “may have foreign policy consequences,” but the security risks and potential ramifications linked to the protest did not allow for the application to be rejected.

It comes after Sweden’s courts overruled earlier police decisions to prohibit anti-Quran demonstrations, citing protection of freedom of speech in their reasoning.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg’s goal is to admit Sweden to the alliance by July — when NATO holds its next official summit, which takes place in Vilnius.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson earlier Wednesday also said that his country still aimed to join NATO by July, but added that it was on Turkey to make the call.