‘Berlin right to criticise Ankara’
Merkel rejects claims that Germany scrapped Turkish rallies in three towns
Tunis/Ankara, March 3: Berlin was right to criticise Ankara over press freedom, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, also rejecting Turkey’s claim her government had a hand in scrapping Turkish rallies in three German towns.
The decisions to cancel two rallies by Turkish ministers in Germany were “taken by municipalities, and as a matter of principle, we apply freedom of expression in Germany,” she said.
“I also think that it was right of us to criticise any restrictions on press freedom.”
Hours earlier, Turkey had accused Germany of working for a ‘No’ vote in a referendum on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s powers.
The Turkish public will vote on April 16 on whether to create a presidential system which Ankara says will be like that in France or the United States and ensure political stability.
But critics say the system will further weaken parliament and herald one-man rule by Mr Erdogan, Turkey’s strongman president.
Ahead of the vote, Turkish politicians’ trips to Germany have sparked controversy, notably a rally by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in the western city of Oberhausen to garner support for a ‘Yes’ vote.
And on Thursday, several local authorities blocked rallies by two more Turkish ministers, prompting a furious response from Ankara which promptly summoned the German envoy to protest.
“They don’t want Turkey to campaign here, they are working for a ‘No’,” foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in the Turkish capital on Friday.
“They want to get in the way of a strong Turkey.”
But the German government on Friday denied having anything to do with the municipal decision to block the rallies.
“That is a decision the federal government has absolutely no influence on ... because it falls under local or state jurisdiction on which we have zero influence,” said foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer.
Vienna has also said it would not allow any campaign-related events.
Meanwhile, Germany’s foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said the government had no role in cancelling rallies. “That is a decision the federal government has absolutely no influence on ... because it falls under local or state jurisdiction on which we have zero influence,” the minister said.
Calling for cool heads to prevail on both sides amid the latest diplomatic spat, Mr Schaefer said, “It’s in no one’s interest ... to cut off dialogue, to talk only through the media or to fall into open confrontation.”
Ulrike Demmer, a spokeswoman for Ms Merkel, also stressed Germany is a “federal country” and that permits for rallies are issued by local authorities. “The referendum is a domestic issue for Turkey,” she said, adding that “freedom of opinion ... should be respected”.