Escalating Tensions Between Ankara and Amsterdam; 'Dutch Ambassador Not Allowed to Return to Turkey'

Following the prevention of two Turkish ministers' election activities in the Netherlands to support a referendum, tensions between the two countries have escalated. Turkey has announced that it will suspend political talks with the Netherlands and will not allow the Dutch ambassador to enter Ankara. According to the Associated Press, Numan Kurtulmuş, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister, stated on Monday that as long as the Netherlands does not accept Turkey's demands, Turkish airspace will be closed to Dutch diplomats, and they will not be allowed entry. Kurtulmuş added that the Dutch ambassador in Turkey is not permitted to return to Ankara. The Deputy Prime Minister also mentioned that Parliament has been asked to remove Turkey from the friendship group with the Netherlands. He emphasized that political sanctions against the Netherlands will continue until that country takes practical steps in line with Turkey's demands. Kurtulmuş stated: 'There is a crisis, a very deep crisis. We did not create this crisis or display it.' The tensions between the two countries began with the forced cancellation of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu's trip to the Netherlands by that country's government. On Saturday, the Dutch government refused to grant landing permission to the plane carrying Çavuşoğlu, who intended to speak to the Turkish community in the Netherlands at the country's consulate in Rotterdam in defense of constitutional changes. Simultaneously, Dutch officials prevented the entry of Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, Turkey's Family Minister, who had entered the country via land border, to the consulate building and returned her to Germany via the land border. The Dutch government cited security concerns as the reason for this action. In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan labeled the Netherlands as remnants of fascism and stated that recent events are 'signs of rising racism, fascism, and Islamophobia' in Europe. Concurrently with Erdoğan's harsh remarks, hundreds of his supporters protested against the Dutch government in Istanbul and Rotterdam. On Monday, the chargé d'affaires of the Dutch embassy was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Ankara has threatened to impose sanctions on the Netherlands, while the Dutch government issued a statement on Monday warning its citizens about traveling to Turkey. Some European leaders have supported the Netherlands' actions and have called on Turkey to apologize for using the term 'fascist' against the Netherlands. German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated on Monday that she firmly supports the actions of the Dutch government. A few days before the tensions began between the Netherlands and Turkey, Erdoğan had also used the term 'fascism' for German leaders. So far, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland have prevented election rallies involving Turkish ministers for security reasons. Over three million Turkish nationals live in various European countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, of which approximately one million four hundred thousand are eligible to vote. Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party aim to secure their victory in the upcoming referendum by garnering votes from these Turkish nationals living in Europe. The constitutional referendum, which increases the powers of the president and makes him the most powerful political and executive figure in the country, is scheduled for April 16. Recent polls in Turkey indicate that competition between opposing and supporting parties is very intense, and it is not unlikely for negative votes to prevail. Following several days of verbal tensions between Erdoğan and leaders of several European countries, on Monday, the European Union, the European Commission, and NATO's Secretary-General called on Ankara to show restraint. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary-General, issued a statement urging the leaders of Turkey and the Netherlands to end the tensions between the two countries. In this statement, the Secretary-General called on all NATO members to maintain their composure and to act judiciously while adhering to the principles of mutual respect. The European Union has also urged Turkey to refrain from making harsh statements and any actions that would escalate tensions with the Netherlands and Germany. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, also called on the Netherlands and Turkey to interact constructively to reduce tensions between the two countries. He emphasized that Russia sees no need for mediation between the two countries and that they can resolve their differences themselves.