Turkey has summoned the German ambassador in Ankara on Thursday (2 March) to protest over cancellations of campaign events in Germany aimed at rallying support for president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s controversial constitutional reform. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told broadcaster ARD that Erdogan’s comments were “absurd, disgraceful and outlandish” and created to provoke a reaction from Berlin.
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One day earlier, Erdogan accused Germany of “aiding and harboring terror” for allowing outlawed Kurdish leaders to conduct regular public meetings in the country.
Relations between Berlin and Ankara experience serious tensions and require normalization, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday.
“They are telling us, ‘Why are you whipping up the issue?'” Erdogan said.
The spokesman sharply rejected Erdogan’s claim.
In Turkey, dozens of writers and journalists have been arrested in a far-reaching crackdown that followed a failed coup against Mr Erdogan in July 2016.
The growing row is troubling for Merkel because she had persuaded Turkey to help block the surge of Syrian refugees fleeing to the European Union.
In September, Yucel reported on social media trolls in the service of Turkey’s government’s, based in part on emails published by WikiLeaks and the domestic group known as Red Hack.
While the Turkish government and opposition leaders held various rallies in Germany in the past years without facing any problems, last week a planned rally of Turkish Justice Minister in southern German town of Gaggenau was cancelled at short notice, due to alleged security concerns.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel was “productive”, after the nations clashed over rallies canceled in Germany ahead of an upcoming vote in Turkey. “They must be registered and subject to checks”, he said.
Cologne has prevented another Turkish minister from speaking at an event.
“We should reorient relations with Turkey without the illusion of European Union membership”, he said.
Two cities in Germany withdrew last week their permissions for Turkish rallies that were to be addressed by Turkish justice and economy ministers.
“It is our duty to go to battle; victory belongs to Allah”, the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Zeybekci as saying.
Erdoğan’s comments come as other Turkish officials aligned with the president have said they would continue organising the demonstrations, stating that opposing them is in contradiction of democratic freedoms. It is scheduled to take place in the German port city on Tuesday.
German officials have expressed concern about the Die Welt newspaper journalist.
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Yucel “hid in the German embassy as a member of the PKK and a German agent for one month”, Erdogan said.
