ANKARA, Turkey (AP) 鈥� Turkey has summoned the Swedish ambassador to convey Ankara鈥檚 displeasure after a mannequin depicting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo臒an was hung outside the city hall in Stockholm, state broadcaster TRT reported.
Turkish officials on Thursday described the incident as 鈥渢errorist propaganda鈥� by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers鈥� Party, or PKK, and other Kurdish militant groups.
TRT said the ambassador was informed that Turkey strongly condemns the 鈥渉einous act.鈥� Turkish officials also said the act was contrary to an agreement that Turkey has reached with Sweden and Finland under which the two promised to crack down on Kurdish militants as they seek for their .
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstr枚m condemned the act.
鈥淭he government is committed to an open debate on political choices but strongly rejects threats and hatred against political representatives. Portraying an elected president as executed outside City Hall is abhorrent," Billstr枚m wrote on Twitter.
Fahrettin Altun, the communications director for Erdogan鈥檚 office, responded to Billstr枚m's tweet by condemning the incident and urging Swedish authorities 鈥渢o take necessary steps against terrorist groups鈥� without delay.
鈥淭hat PKK terrorist can challenge the Swedish government at the heart of Stockholm is proof that the Swedish authorities have not taken necessary steps against terrorism 鈥� as they have been claiming in recent days,鈥� Altun tweeted in English.
In November, the ambassador was similarly summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry after images that allegedly insulted Erdo臒an were projected on the Turkish Embassy building in Stockholm.
Sweden and Finland abandoned their long-standing policies of military nonalignment and applied for membership in the military alliance after on Feb. 24.
, which requires unanimous approval from all existing alliance members.
The Associated Press
