OUR Turkey starts membership verification process Finland in NATOafter the country “took concrete measures to fulfill its promises,” the Turkish president said, Tayyip Erdogan.

At a press conference with his Finnish counterpart, Erdogan said that Turkey would continue negotiations with Sweden on issues related to terrorism, and that his bid to join NATO would depend directly on the measures taken. Among Ankara’s demands is the extradition to Turkey of 120 people whom Erdogan calls “terrorists”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given the go-ahead to Finland’s NATO membership by submitting to the Turkish Parliament the ratification of Finland’s membership application. “We have decided to start the process of Finland’s accession to NATO in our parliament,” he said after a meeting in Ankara with his Finnish counterpart.

For its part, the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistöwelcomed Turkey’s decision: “It’s definitely very important for all of Finland,” he said.

Finland’s request is now going to the Turkish parliament, where the Turkish president’s party and its allies have a majority. The ratification is expected to take place before the elections in Turkey scheduled for May 14.

Finland is expected to NATO member state before Swedenalthough their requests were filed at the same time, ten months ago.

The Turkish government accuses Sweden of not taking tough action against groups that Ankara calls terrorist organizations, including Kurdish groups. Turkey is seeking the extradition of dozens of Kurds and other suspects whom it accuses of links to illegal armed groups and involvement in a 2016 coup attempt.

The application of the two states to join the military alliance was approved by 28 NATO member states, and then approved by Hungary and Turkey.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson acknowledged on Tuesday that Finland’s chances of joining NATO on its own are growing.

“Yes” and from Hungary: 27 March vote for Finland

Meanwhile, the leader of the faction of the ruling Fidesz party in Hungary said today that parliament will vote on March 27 to ratify Finland’s membership in NATO, and the ruling coalition of majority parties will unanimously approve membership.

Mate Kocsis said in a Facebook post that the Fidesz parliamentary group would make a decision on Sweden’s NATO membership “later”, without going into details. “We will hold a vote in Parliament (on Finland’s NATO membership) on March 27 and vote unanimously yes,” Kosich said in a statement. “On the question of Sweden, the caucus will decide later.”