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Sweden to toughen its anti-terrorism law under deal with Turkey — statement

Sweden confirms that a new, tougher Terrorist Offenses Act enters into force on 1 July, and that the government is preparing further tightening of counter-terrorism legislation, the document says

ANKARA, June 29. /TASS/. Sweden is to toughen its law on terrorism-related offenses from July 1 under an agreement reached with Turkey, according to a memorandum, signed by the Turkish, Swedish and Finnish foreign ministers in Madrid on Tuesday.

"Sweden confirms that a new, tougher Terrorist Offenses Act enters into force on 1 July, and that the government is preparing further tightening of counter-terrorism legislation," the document says.

Turkish and Finnish Presidents, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Sauli Niinisto, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gathered in Madrid on Tuesday to discuss issues of Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership in light of Turkey’s refusal to support their admission unless they issue written guarantees to Ankara that they will refuse from supporting terrorist organizations, lift the weapons embargo and restrictions imposed on Turkey in the defense sector.

After the talks, the three countries’ foreign ministers signed a memorandum in the presence of the leaders. A spokesman for Erdogan’s office told TASS that Turkey has achieved the moves it wanted from Sweden and Finland to agree to their accession to NATO.