Turkish minister accuses Germany of political pressure

Turkey's foreign minister accused Berlin of exerting systematic pressure on Turkish citizens in Germany and hampering campaigns in support of President Tayyip Erdogan's bid for new powers in a referendum next month, Daily Sabah newspaper reported.

Mevlut Cavusoglu was speaking at a rally of Turkish citizens in the residence of the Turkish consulate-general in Hamburg after the building originally scheduled for the meeting was closed by authorities. 

Turkey accuses Germany of hindering a string of other scheduled meetings by shutting down premises.

"This is systematic obstruction, and Germany is applying systematic pressure on our citizens. This is unacceptable. We always want to see Germany as a friend but Germany's systematic anti-Turkey approach does not suit our friendship," Cavusoglu said.

The speech was punctuated by audience chanting of "Recep Tayyip Erdogan, this nation is proud of you", "Stand straight, don't bend, this nation is with you" and "Allahu akbar" (God is Greatest).

"Germany should not attempt to give us democracy and human rights lessons. We...have never intervened in German politics. Germany shouldn't intervene in our politics, in our referendum, either," Cavusoglu said in Hamburg.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel rejected Cavusoglu's accusations about systematically blocking Turkish events in a television interview.

"In our legal system, local authorities are generally in charge of security issues," Gabriel told ZDF broadcaster, adding that authorities in Hamburg decided to close the hall originally scheduled for the speech due to a lack of fire security.

Gabriel also criticized Erdogan's comments comparing German bans on certain political rallies to "fascist actions" reminiscent of Nazi times.

"The comparison is scandalous of course," he said, adding that such comments further complicated the already difficult relationship between the two NATO allies.

Gabriel said he would raise the issue during his meeting with Cavusoglu on Wednesday in Berlin, adding that it was a good sign that his Turkish counterpart did not repeat the Nazi comments during his speech in Hamburg.

Relations between Germany and Turkey have soured markedly since a failed army bid last July to overthrow Erdogan. Ankara accused Berlin and other European capitals of being tardy and weak in condemning the putschists.

Source: MENA