Another Turkish rally possible in Germany before referendum, Erdogan spokesman says

They called for democracy and a “No” vote in the April 16 Turkish referendum on increasing presidential powers.

“When we call them Nazis they (Europe) get uncomfortable”. The ministry said it was “thought-provoking” that Germany, which recognizes the PKK as a terrorist group, allowed alleged sympathizers of the group to use PKK symbols and jailed head Abdullah Öcalan’s posters during the march.

Erdogan also slammed German authorities for letting opposition to a “yes” vote in the referendum hold rallies while preventing his emissaries from addressing expatriate Turkish communities. Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told the Passauer Neue Presse that he warned Ankara against continuing this “shocking” rhetoric.

“We are tolerant but we’re not stupid”, he told the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper. “Erdogan is clearly on the wrong path and he’s harming Turkish interests”.

“The vote in Europe is significant, there is almost 5 million people across Europe who are Turkish”.

Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin slammed German authorities on Saturday for allowing PKK supporters to rally in the city of Frankfurt.

The media outlets that publish such articles are ‘are doomed to take their places in the trash of history, ‘ the foreign ministry said.

Turkish officials noted that the protesters had waved banners of a group that is itself illegal in Germany. “To whom? To my Turkish brothers and sisters in Germany”, the Turkish leader also said as quoted by the AP.

Isik said German politicians must address the matter or risk questions arising over Berlin’s possible role in the coup.

Erdogan threw further oil on the fire Saturday by saying he believed parliament would after the referendum agree to a bill to restore capital punishment, which he would then sign.

Erdogan has repeatedly warned the European Union of the possibility Turkey could restore capital punishment.

Juncker added that if Turkey were to re-introduce the death penalty, that would result in accession talks ending.

The ban this month on Turkish officials campaigning in various European states has triggered a crisis in Ankara’s relations with the EU. “They [European states] do not have the urge to hide their intentions and can not hide the discomfort they feel from Turkey, which is growing stronger”, Erdogan said, as cited by Reuters.

His behaviour has prompted an angry reaction from Europe, with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande lashing the comments as “unacceptable” on Thursday.