Netherlands Warns Citizens About Traveling to Turkey

On Monday, March 13, the Dutch government issued a statement warning its citizens about traveling to Turkey. According to AFP, the Dutch Foreign Ministry stated: "Since March 11, 2017, there has been diplomatic tension between Turkey and the Netherlands. Remain vigilant throughout Turkey and avoid gatherings and crowded places." After the Netherlands denied Turkish Foreign Ministers and their families access to a Dutch-Turkish election rally in Rotterdam, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Sunday, March 12, that the Netherlands would pay the price for its actions. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım also stated that the Netherlands would receive a "decisive response." The Dutch Foreign Ministry has informed its citizens that traveling to Turkey poses security risks and has requested that they notify the ministry before traveling to Turkey. The statement emphasized that "the likelihood of terrorist attacks is high throughout Turkey, especially in areas bordering Iraq and Syria." Tensions between Ankara and The Hague escalated when the Netherlands prevented the landing of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu's plane, who intended to attend a Dutch-Turkish election rally in Rotterdam. Dutch officials also stopped Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, Turkey's Family Minister, in front of the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam and escorted her out of the Netherlands. Çavuşoğlu was scheduled to speak at the Rotterdam rally in favor of constitutional changes in Turkey. A positive vote in the constitutional referendum would grant extensive powers to the Turkish president. This referendum is set to take place on April 16 in Turkey. Following the developments in the Netherlands, hundreds gathered outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul on Saturday. Hundreds also protested outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. In response to these protests, riot police used water cannons, dogs, and horses to disperse Turkish protesters in Rotterdam. Nearly 400,000 of the population in the Netherlands are of Turkish descent. These recent events occurred just before the Dutch parliamentary elections scheduled for Wednesday, March 15. In this context, the far-right "Freedom" Party led by Geert Wilders has made significant maneuvers regarding the recent incidents. Meanwhile, Turkey officially summoned the Dutch ambassador on Monday. Turkey also expressed its protest regarding the "disproportionate" use of force against the Rotterdam protesters to Dan Feda Heijzinga, the Dutch chargé d'affaires. This is the third time since the Rotterdam events that the Dutch chargé has been summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. President Erdoğan has referred to the Dutch government as the "remnants of Nazis and fascists." Following this, Denmark requested that the Turkish Prime Minister postpone his planned visit to Denmark. In this context, the Turkish Prime Minister stated: "We will give a decisive response to the Netherlands," amidst increasing criticisms and verbal attacks between senior officials in Turkey and Europe against each other, as well as the intervention of Dutch riot police to end the rally of Erdoğan supporters in Rotterdam.