"Sweden: So far, very friendly
Huseyin Bagci
bagci@metu.edu.tr
09 May 2006
Turks generally admire the Nordic countries not because of their social democracy tradition but because they have a different ethical and political attitude that they are less corrupt than other countries in the world. This Nordic perception is getting more important the more Turkey is in the process of negotiations with the European Union. Since Sweden and Finland joined the EU, both Turkey and those countries felt that there is a great deficit in mutual knowledge. The Turks knew great Nordic politicians like Finland's Urho Kekkonen and Sweden's Olof Palme, who always had great respect here. Now Finland is getting the next EU presidency and the enlargement process is in the hands of Olli Rehn, also a Finnish politician who is already well known in the country. No doubt Turkey is a big challenge for him and his country. However, Swedish politics is also becoming more important, and there is a great shift to see. Sweden has been very critical in the '80s and '90s concerning human rights as well as minority issues. The Turkish public opinion went so far as to consider Sweden and its politicians even as a foe, like late Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was described in the Turkish press. However, Sweden's Turkish perception was also widely shaped by the Turkish as well as Kurdish intellectuals who found asylum there and could be politically active against Turkey after the Sept. 12, 1980 coup."
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