Erdogan upsets EU relations with Nazi jibe
ANGELA MERKEL yesterday called for calm as an escalating row threatened to destabilise relations with Turkey and jeopardise the EU’s controversial migrant deal.
A spokesman for Mrs Merkel said there was “absolutely no justification” for comments by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the weekend in which he accused Germany of “Nazi practices”.
Governments across Europe have condemned the Turkish president’s comments, in which he also threatened to “start an insurrection” in Germany. Austria has called for an EU ban on campaigning by Turkish politicians.
But Mrs Merkel yesterday called for “cool heads to prevail”.
“Nazi comparisons are always absurd and out of place, because they only lead to trivialising of the Nazis’ crimes against humanity,” Steffen Seibert, the German chancellor’s spokesman added.
There are concerns the row could jeopardise the EU’s migrant deal with Turkey. The opposition Left Party yesterday called for Germany to unilaterally pull out of the deal in response to Mr Erdogan’s remarks.
The Turkish leader’s outburst came after two German towns blocked appearances by Turkish ministers campaigning ahead of a Turkish referendum next month in which Mr Erdogan is seeking extensive new powers.