Azernews.Az

By Ali Mustafayev

Ankara has criticized the anti-Turkish rhetoric used by German and Austrian politicians, including presidential candidates from both countries, ahead of fall elections in those countries.

"We follow with regret the foundation of election campaigns of political leaders in Germany and Austria on an anti-Turkey basis and on preventing Turkey's EU membership," the Turkish Foreign Ministry stated on September 4.

Turkey designates its own way and has a so rich belonging and future that it cannot be seen by the myopic point of view of the aforementioned countries' politicians, the ministry said, stressing that the rhetoric used in election campaigns in Germany and Austria is troubling for Europe.

Germany's political parties, especially the current coalition partners to Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats Union (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) led by Martin Schulz and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, have promised to increase the pressure on Turkey and put an end to Turkey's EU accession talks as part of their election campaigns.

The Ministry further stated that these politicians surrendering to a raw populism based in an anti-Turkish attitude instead of finding solutions to the political and economic challenges facing Europe endangers not only the continent but the entire world.

“There is no doubt that this populist attitude will encourage the scourges of xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia in Europe, where they are spreading,” the statement stressed.

Earlier Merkel said that she would ask the EU to call off membership talks with Turkey."I don't see them ever joining [the EU] and I had never believed that it would happen," she said during a televised debate.

Merkel also demanded the release of German citizens detained in Turkey, describing their imprisonment as "unjustified".

Turkey, in its turn, claims that the actions, which are considered controversial in Europe, are part of its National Security policy, which is a basic right of each country. Ankara accuses Germany of granting asylum to the key members of the failed military coup and supporting the FETO terrorists, particularly Adil Oksuz, a theology professor accused by the Turkish authorities of being an influential figure within the Fetullah Terrorist Organization.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also criticized German politicians sparring in a weekend debate for focusing on Turkey rather than Germany’s own pressing problems.

"The debate started with Turkey and ended with Turkey. The election isn’t taking place in Turkey, it is taking place in Germany,” he told reporters in Slovenia while attending a foreign policy forum.

The minister said German politicians should have talked instead about the rising racism in Germany and Europe, Islamophobia, antisemitism, the European economy, and the future of the European Union.

Meanwhile, the European Commission stated that President Jean-Claude Juncker said the Turkish people should understand that it is the Turkish government that has put the accession process in doubt, noting that suspending Ankara’s EU talks was up to member states.

The Commission's chief spokesman told a regular news briefing that Turkey is taking giant strides away from Europe and that is making it impossible for Turkey to join the EU.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained in the aftermath of last year's failed coup. Germany has voiced concern that Erdogan is using the coup as a pretext to quash dissent, while Erdogan has accused Germany of anti-Turkish and anti-Muslim sentiment.

In mid August, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats were enemies of Turkey and called on Turks in Germany to vote against major parties in next month's elections.

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