Trukish Prez ‘not welcome’ to campaign in Austria

Vienna, Feb. 27: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is “not welcome” to hold campaign events in Austria ahead of the April referendum on strengthening his powers, the foreign minister in Vienna said on Monday.

Sebastian Kurz said Mr Erdogan campaigning over the controversial referendum would “increase friction” in Austria and “hinder the integration” of the country’s 360,000strong Turkish origin minority, which includes 117,000 Turkish citizens.

“Campaign events are not welcome. Of course the Turkish President, like other senior politicians, can make bilateral visits to Europe and Austria for talks with top officials,” said Mr Kurz.

He added, “But we clearly reject bringing the Turkish campaign and polarisation to Austria.”

The ministry said Mr Erdogan’s previous visits to Austria and also Germany had created “tensions” between his supporters and Turks of Kurdish origin, which have increased since July’s attempted coup.

It quoted Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who held a rally in the German city of Oberhausen on February 18, as saying that Mr Erdogan planned to campaign in European Union countries.

The April 16 vote will see Turks vote on whether to change the current parliamentary system into an executive presidency.

Mr Erdogan’s government says this will enhance political stability. But opponents fear that the touted new system — which would discard the post of Prime Minister for the first time in Turkey’s history — would cement one-man rule under Erdogan.

Meanwhile, Mr Erdogan is slated to travel to Russia in March to meet his Russian countrerpart Vladimir Putin aiming to further improve ties between the two countries, Interfax news agency said.