Diplomatic Spat With Turkey Inflames Nationalist Tensions Ahead Of Dutch Election

In response, Turkish President Recep Erdogan stated that Dutch authorities are acting like Nazis.

Germany is the source of around 15 percent of Turkey’s tourists and trade visitors at last week’s ITB travel fair in Germany said they had been slashing prices to make up for a drop in bookings. The demonstration of power is being connected with namely this fact.

Mr. Erdogan has accused the Netherlands of being a “banana republic” – yet another insult.

The Dutch Prime Minister stood by his country’s decision and called Turkey’s “verbal aggression. unacceptable”. “I understand they’re angry, but this of course was way out of line”. After German municipalities canceled several campaign events by Turkish officials, Erdogan compared German policies to “Nazi practices”.

“He lied to us and didn’t tell the truth”, the mayor said.

In a statement Tuesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the EU’s stance on Turkey was “short-sighted” and “carried no value” for Turkey, as well as lending “credence” to extremists.

Protests occurred late Saturday in Rotterdam outside of the Turkish consulate, as well as in front of Dutch diplomatic missions in Turkey, including at the Netherlands’ consulate in Istanbul.

Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik also said Ankara “should re-evaluate” a key part of a 2016 deal to stem the flow of migrants to the EU.

When asked what the Austrian government would do if the Turkish minister tries to enlist the support of the Austrian Turks on April 16, Christian Kern told broadcaster ORF that “we would try to prohibit this due to reasons of public security”. Police responded with baton charges and a water cannon.

The second note protested the treatment of Turkish citizens who had gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, saying “disproportionate force” had been used against “people using their right to peaceful gatherings”.

The first protested what it said practices that were contrary to worldwide conventions, diplomatic courtesy, and diplomatic immunities and requested a written apology from the Dutch authorities, a ministry statement said. More than 41,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 civil servants fired from their jobs.

“Don’t let him land here!” wrote Wilders, whose party appears set to emerge as one of the largest in parliament in Wednesday’s vote.

“What we have seen in the last days is a clear manifestations of Islamophobia”, he added. Cars and motorbikes drove in circles, waving Turkish flags and blowing their horns. The outspoken right-wing candidate Geert Wilders’ party is sliding in polls but still nearly neck-and-neck with Rutte’s party.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said “inflammatory remarks” by Mr Erdogan would not help de-escalate the diplomatic row.

Earlier Saturday, Cavusoglu said “Wilders is racist, fascist, Nazi, like a Nazi”. “Are you going to kill them, burn them or what?”

Turkish security barricades surround the Dutch embassy, the green building at the center, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, March 13, 2017.