Turkish, German FMs to meet on Wednesday amid rally ban row

A German town which canceled a Turkish government minister’s speech has received a bomb threat.

Decisions about public gatherings are made at a local level in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, after Turkey accused Berlin of scandalous behaviour in cancelling rallies of Turkish citizens where key Turkish ministers were to speak.

Germany has suggested it may not extradite suspects wanted by Turkey in cases it considers politically motivated, which has prompted Erdogan to accuse Germany of having “become a shelter” for terrorists and for having no regard for other countries’ national security issues.

In a nod to the post-coup crack-down on opposition politicians, judges and journalists, Mr Gauck said the “unacceptable” imprisonment of Yücel raised questions about “whether Turkey still has a claim on being a democracy and a state with the rule of law”.

On Monday, tempers flared again after Deniz Yucel, 43, a correspondent for Germany’s Die Welt daily, was charged with spreading terrorist propaganda and inciting hatred by an Istanbul court. “This meeting will not take place, we will return to Turkey”, he said.

In Ankara, the Turkish foreign ministry summoned the German ambassador for an explanation, ministry sources said.

However, authorities in Berlin have also faced pressure from Germany’s Left Party, and the right-wing, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party to take a stronger position against Turkish officials campaigning in the country. He also cancelled his meeting with German Justice Minister.

Germany is wary of rising tensions, seeking continued Turkish commitment to arrangements preventing large movements of refugees from Turkey to Europe.

Erdogan and his ruling AKP party hold cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in the USA, responsible for the coup plot, and proceeded to jail, arrest or suspend thousands of suspected supporters of the cleric.

People wait outside the Rotenfels festival hall in Gaggenau, southern Germany, Thursday, March 2, 2017.

Turkey will hold an April 16 plebiscite on changing the constitution to give Erdogan an executive presidency along the lines of that in France or the United States.

City authorities cited a lack of space in the vehicle park designated for the meeting.