Cavusoglu: Germany is Deliberately Pressuring Turkish Citizens

Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's Foreign Minister, accused Berlin on Tuesday of deliberately pressuring Turkish citizens in Germany and obstructing gatherings supporting the referendum for constitutional changes in Turkey. According to Reuters, Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke at a location belonging to the Turkish consulate in Hamburg after the venue for his planned speech had previously been closed by local authorities. In recent days, a war of words has escalated between Berlin and Ankara, with Turkish officials accusing Germany of systematically canceling the speaking engagements of Turkish ministers in Germany. Meanwhile, German government officials state that they have no role in canceling these gatherings, as local authorities make those decisions. Officials from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government are trying to garner support from nearly 1.5 million Turks living in Germany ahead of the referendum on constitutional changes. Mevlut Cavusoglu stated, 'This is a systematic approach to create obstacles; Germany is deliberately pressuring our citizens in this country. This is unacceptable. We always want to see Germany as our friend, but the systematic anti-Turkish approach of the German government is inconsistent with friendship.' According to Reuters, attendees at the gathering chanted, 'Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the nation is proud of you,' 'Stand up, do not bend, this nation is with you,' and 'Allahu Akbar.' Sigmar Gabriel, Germany's Foreign Minister, rejected Cavusoglu's accusations of systematic pressure on Turkish citizens during a television program. Gabriel told the ZDF network, 'In our legal system, local authorities are responsible for ensuring security. In Hamburg, the city's officials decided to cancel the pre-scheduled speech (of Mevlut Cavusoglu) because the building where the gathering was to take place did not have fire safety facilities.' Sigmar Gabriel also criticized Erdogan's remarks on Sunday comparing the behavior of German officials to that of the 'Nazis.' The German Foreign Minister stated that such comparisons are ridiculous and that such remarks will only complicate relations between the two countries. Gabriel mentioned that he would address these issues in his meeting with Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday. Since the failed coup attempt last year in Turkey, relations between Ankara and Western European countries have soured. Erdogan accuses Western European countries of not condemning the failed coup strongly enough, while Western European countries have expressed concern over human rights violations and the suppression of press freedom following the failed coup.