Merkel's Reaction to the Arrest of Two Germans in Antalya: Possibility of Revising Relations with Turkey

Following the arrest of two German citizens in Turkey, Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, warned on Friday that Berlin would respond "decisively" to Ankara's actions. According to Reuters, Merkel, speaking at a business meeting in Nuremberg, southern Germany, referred to recent changes and developments in German-Turkish relations, stating, "We must respond decisively." She added that, given recent events, if necessary, they might reconsider their stance. Reuters reports that at least 12 Germans are currently imprisoned in Turkey on political charges. Deniz Yucel, a German-Turkish journalist, has been in prison for 200 days. The German Chancellor stated that, given the current situation, negotiations with Turkey to expand customs agreements with the European Union should no longer continue. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said that Berlin had not been informed diplomatically about the arrest of these two German citizens. The two Germans were arrested at Antalya Airport, and the German consulate in Izmir learned of these arrests through "non-governmental" sources. Following last year's failed coup in Turkey, several European citizens have been imprisoned on charges of collaborating with the coup. Maria Adebahr, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry, stated that efforts to obtain information regarding the two arrested German citizens are ongoing. Last month, the German government advised its citizens to exercise caution when traveling to Turkey, but did not issue an official travel warning. Jürgen Hardt, a senior member of Angela Merkel's party, also told a German newspaper that travel guidelines to Turkey should be reviewed. In recent months, German-Turkish relations have soured. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan previously criticized Angela Merkel, claiming that the German Chancellor exacerbates the differences between Germany and Turkey by resorting to "Nazi-like methods." European Union leaders have strongly criticized the crackdown on dissenters in Turkey following last year's failed coup. Meanwhile, negotiations for Turkey's EU membership have effectively stalled. In this context, the German Foreign Minister stated that Turkey under Erdoğan will never become a member of the EU, while Erdoğan accused Germany of supporting "terrorists."