Hungarian President Katalin Novák said she hoped lawmakers would ratify Sweden and Finland’s ascension into NATO “as soon as possible,” as they began debating the motions in parliament.
“Some think this is an easily solved technical issue. This is not the case. It is a complex decision with serious consequences, so it must be considered carefully,” Novák said in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday.
“My position is clear: in the current situation, Sweden and Finland joining NATO is justified. I trust the parliament's wise decision as soon as possible!” she added.
Some context: Both Sweden and Finland applied for membership in May last year, and in June all NATO allies agreed to invite both countries to join the alliance and set out accession protocols.
So far, 28 out of the 30 allies have ratified both Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO. Only Hungary and Turkey have not yet done so.
While Hungary is preparing to debate the move, Turkey has expressed some concerns about the countries’ accession.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused both Finland and Sweden of harboring members of the separatist militant Kurdistan’s Workers Party, also known as PKK.
The PKK, which seeks an independent state in Turkey, has been in an armed struggle with that country for decades and has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.