On January 21, the radical right-wing agitator Rasmus Paludan burned the Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.
This action was followed by protests in several Muslim countries and Al-Azhar University, the top university for Sunni Muslims in Cairo, Egypt, called for a global boycott of Swedish products.
But so far, the boycott’s demands don’t appear to have any effect. At least not in the country that Rasmus Paludan intended to burn the Koran. This circular shows the work done for Swedish companies operating in Turkey.
IKEA and Essetti don’t notice the boycott
“The quick answer is that it’s too early to say, but we haven’t received any information about lower visitor numbers in supermarkets,” Ikea’s communications department writes for Arbetet.
Hygiene company Essity – along with brands such as Libresse, Tena and Tork – has not noticed any drop in sales.
Sandvik Industrial Group has been operating in Turkey since 1966 and mainly sells to other companies.
“We have, of course, followed the flow of news constantly, but we currently do not notice any effect on our part,” Sandvik’s press service wrote.
Loomis cash handling company operates in about forty locations in Turkey.
– We have not been affected by recent events, but our work continues as usual, says HR Director Mårten Lundberg.
“Increased danger” after burning the Qur’an
Sweden’s embassy in Turkey warned of an “increased risk of incidents against Swedish interests” and urged Swedes living in the country to “exercise greater vigilance and caution”.
Loomis has around 1,200 local employees but no Swedish employees in Turkey.
– However, Swedish support jobs visit to and from our different countries. Martin Lundberg says that obviously considerations are being made as one must now follow State Department recommendations, but we don’t have strict measures like travel bans.
Well-established Swedish companies in Turkey
In the semi-governmental Swedish Business Office in Turkey, Trade Minister Edin Erkošević is actively following developments. So far, there are no signs of Swedish companies being affected.
– This does not mean that there cannot be affected companies, but among the companies we communicate with, none of them indicated that their operations were affected, he said.
– It is important to remember that Swedish companies in this part of the world are well established, both in the countries in which they operate and in the local communities.
Burning the Koran by Rasmus Paludan
On January 21, radical right-wing politician Rasmus Paludan burned the Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. Paludan promised more Qur’an burnings if Turkey did not agree to Sweden’s request to join NATO.
In Turkey, the burning of the Koran caused great outrage. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the action a “hate crime”. Turkish ministers said the incident diminished the chances of Turkey joining Sweden in the military alliance. Outside the Swedish Consulate in Istanbul, angry protesters burned the Swedish flag.
Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Morocco have officially condemned this measure. The Afghan Taliban called on the government to punish Paludan. Protests in Pakistan and Indonesia brought together thousands of participants.
Egypt’s influential Al-Azhar University in Cairo has called on the world’s Muslims to boycott Swedish products and companies. Nothing is sacred to them except abundance, production and consumption. The university wrote in the call.
When a Danish newspaper Jyllands Boston In 2005, he published a series of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, calling on Al-Azhar to boycott Danish products. Then dairy giant Arla was hit sales decline and forced Closing its factory in Saudi Arabia.
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