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A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 6 March 2017

Turkey accuses Germany of ‘Nazi’ practices; rift deepens

MIKE CORDER ing access talks, from dem-
Associated Press ocratic standards and prin-
AMSTERDAM (AP) — A dip- ciples of the rule of law.”
lomatic rift between Turkey The Dutch government
and key European nations is investigating whether
deepened Sunday as Pres- it can halt a rally being
ident Recep Tayyip Erdo- planned for later in the
gan accused Germany week at which Turkish For-
of “Nazi practices,” days eign Minister Mevlut Cavu-
after a local authority pre- soglu is reportedly due to
vented a Turkish minister speak.
from addressing a rally. Prime Minister Mark Rutte
Over at an election cam- told Dutch broadcaster
paign event in Amsterdam, NOS on Saturday that his
meanwhile, Dutch right- government “is looking at
wing populist Geert Wilders all legal avenues to pre-
also resorted to extreme- vent such a visit.” Rutte
right comparisons, calling said the proposed consti-
Erdogan an “Islamo-fascist tutional changes take Tur-
leader.” key, an aspirant European
The diplomatic tensions Union member state, “in a
have been rising in recent less democratic direction.”
days amid Turkish plans to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte answers questions during an interview at De Telegraaf newspa- “We believe that Dutch
have government ministers per in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, March 5, 2017. The Dutch government is investigating public space is not the
whether it can halt a rally at which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is reportedly due to
to address rallies in Ger- speak. Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday that his government “is looking at all legal place for political cam-
many and the Netherlands avenues to prevent such a visit.” paigns of other countries,”
in support of an upcoming (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) Rutte wrote earlier on his
constitutional referendum to speak at two events in Facebook page.
that would give Erdogan western Germany on Sun- Kern urged “a concerted
new powers. day. There are about 1.4 approach by the EU to
Speaking in Istanbul, the million people in Germany prevent such campaign
Turkish president fanned who are eligible to vote in appearances,” saying
the flames with a stinging the Turkish referendum. then specific countries like
verbal attack. Julia Kloeckner, a deputy Germany would not come
“In Germany, they are leader of Merkel’s Christian under pressure from Turkey.
not allowing our friends to Democratic Union, told the Wilders, whose Party for
speak. Let them do so. Do German daily Bild that Er- Freedom is lagging only
you think that by not al- dogan’s Nazi comparison slightly behind Rutte’s
lowing them to speak the was “a new pinnacle of im- VVD party in polls before
votes in Germany will come moderation.” the Dutch March 15 elec-
out ‘no’ instead of ‘yes?’” “Mr. Erdogan is reacting tion for parliament’s lower
Erdogan said. “Germany, like a stubborn child who house, said he would go
you don’t have anything to can’t get his own way,” further if he were in power.
do with democracy. These she told the paper. “I think that coming here to
current practices of yours Austrian Chancellor Chris- advocate a change of the
are no different than the tian Kern, in an interview Turkish constitution that will
Nazi practices of the past.” with the German newspa- only strengthen the Islamo-
On Thursday, Turkey’s jus- per Welt am Sonntag, said fascist leader Erdogan of
tice minister canceled a it’s time to pull the plug Turkey more than Parlia-
meeting with his German on long-stalled moves to ment, Turkish parliament, is
counterpart after local au- bring Turkey into the 28-na- the worst thing that could
thorities in southwest Ger- tion EU. happen to us,” Wilders told
many withdrew permission “We shouldn’t just tempo- reporters at a campaign
for him to use a venue to rarily suspend the acces- event.
hold a rally near the French sion talks with Turkey but Wilders said if he were the
border that was part of a end them,” Kern said. “We Dutch prime minister, “’’I
campaign to get Turks in can’t continue to negoti- would call the whole cabi-
Germany to vote “yes” in ate about membership net of Turkey ‘persona non
the referendum. with a country that has grata’ for a month or two,
Turkey’s economy minister, been steadily distancing not allowing them to come
Nihat Zeybekci, was due itself for years, during ongo- here.”q