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Tension
Istanbul, Sept. 6, 2017 (dpa/NAN) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday says Europe is “drifting” back to the political climate that existed before World War II, amid doubts in Europe about continuing negotiations on Turkey joining the European Union.
“I am not saying you are a Nazi, you are fascist.
“I am explaining the instance, this instance is Nazism, and this instance is fascism.
“In election campaigns, you were in a race to deserve this title,” Erdogan said in Ankara, addressing members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
He had used these terms earlier this year, after some European cities including ones in Germany and the Netherlands blocked Turkish ministers from campaigning for a controversial referendum on expanding presidential powers.
The latest remarks came amid tensions between Germany and Turkey.
This prompted German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying she would use a European Union summit in October to raise the issue of calling off negotiations on Ankara’s membership of the Brussels-based bloc.
Several key European nations including Germany, Austria and France are concerned about human rights, the rule of law and democracy in Turkey.
Erdogan called for Brussels to either accept Turkey with “full membership” and keep its obligations under the migration deal reached in 2016, or tell Ankara that the bloc no longer wants the country as a member.
“If you cannot even tolerate Turkey’s current relationship with the European Union, go out and say this honestly and do what is necessary.
“There is no other way,” Erdogan said.
He insisted that Turkey continued to view joining the EU as a “strategic objective.”
He alleged that Ankara had done what was required to join, “in the belief that these reforms will, at the same time, upgrade our own citizens’ democratic and economic standards.”
Merkel, who is on the campaign trail ahead of elections scheduled to hold on Sept. 24 has called on Europe to have a united stance regarding Turkey.
The detention of 11 German citizens in Turkey, on what Berlin says are political charges, are overshadowing the final weeks of Germany’s election campaign.
The group includes two journalists and a human rights worker. Other European countries face a similar issue.
Turkey has repeatedly accused Germany of acting out of “populism.”
Erdogan again called on people of Turkish origin in Germany not to vote for the main three parties in the election, calling them “enemies.” (dpa/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole