Sweden and Finland facing the possibility of Turkey's veto as they attempt to join NATO has surprised the international arena. What a senseless surprise... What were they expecting? Did they really expect that Turkey, which has guarded NATO's dangerous southeastern border since 1952, would warmly welcome them as they embrace the PKK terrorist organization?

The PKK is officially recognized as a terrorist organization all over the world, including in the United States and European Union countries. It is an organization responsible for the deaths of more than 50,000 civilians and security personnel and has committed crimes, including the use of child fighters. Turkey is not the only country that has suffered from the violence of this group for years.

The PKK's structure, which is organized under the name PJAK in Iran and YPG in Syria and Iraq, puts pressure on all administrations and ethnoreligious groups in the region. Drug trafficking and human trafficking are the main sources of their income.

Thanks to the network it has established, the PKK finances terrorism by bringing refugees and drugs into Europe. It collects tribute like the mafia through associations it has established with various names in European capitals. It outsources a lot of illegal work.

On the other hand, PKK terrorists are specially protected and guarded by the northern European governments. Sometimes it is discussed in parliaments and addressed at an official level.

Finland is a bit different

However, Finland's situation is somewhat different. Finnish officials, who spoke to the Financial Times, saying their "talks with Ankara were positive, and these statements seem to concern Sweden in general," are not mistaken. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that "Sweden is an incubation center for terrorist organizations. How can we trust them? First of all, we cannot say ‘yes’ to those who impose sanctions on Turkey, on joining NATO which is a security organization."

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde said Erdoğan’s comments were aimed at "domestic politics" and "he may ask for something in return." Her response shows that the Swedish authorities still have not understood the seriousness of the issue.

The PKK terrorism in Turkey has been the first priority of the public for 40 years. We have sacrificed tens of thousands of our people, our youth, to the terror of this organization. The majority of them are our Kurdish citizens, whom the PKK gives legitimacy by saying that it is seeking their rights. There are even babies among them. Therefore, all NATO officials, especially Linde, should get in their heads that the PKK issue is a supra-political issue in Turkey. Besides PKK's legal wing, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), all political parties in the country approve of reacting to countries that support the PKK. With Erdoğan making good use of the opportunity that came his way, the threshold of public expectations rose.

It does not seem like the problem will be solved if Sweden imposes ostensible obstacles to the PKK's activities within its borders or extradites a number of high-ranking terrorists. It should pledge to watch over and protect NATO's allies from terrorism and threats from countries such as Russia and China. It should openly declare that it will show zero tolerance for terrorism, especially the PKK/YPG, which only differs from Daesh in regard to being secular.

It shouldn't be that hard for the modern West to choose between an EU candidate, the Republic of Turkey, which has been a partner of all global organizations for decades, and a vile gang of hitmen.

This will be a small step for humanity, but a big step for Sweden and other NATO member countries that openly support the PKK.