Germany's president says Erdogan damaging Turkish achievements
Germany's newly-elected President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan of risking “collapsing” everything Ankara had recently achieved and of damaging relations with its partners.
Ankara has been embroiled in a row with Berlin and other European capitals over campaigning among the Turkish diaspora for a referendum on granting Erdogan greater powers.
"The way we look (at Turkey) is characterized by worry, that everything that has been built up over years and decades is collapsing," Steinmeier said on Wednesday in his inaugural speech in the largely ceremonial role.
"President Erdogan, you are jeopardizing everything that you, with others, have built," he said, adding that he would welcome "credible signs" to ease the situation.
NATO ally Turkey has repeatedly accused Germany of using Nazi tactics to ban ministerial appearances and has caused anger in Germany by holding German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel.
"But end the unspeakable Nazi comparisons!" Steinmeier said. "Do not cut the ties to those people who want partnership with Turkey! Respect the rule of law and the freedom of media and journalists! And release Deniz Yucel."
Erdogan warned Wednesday that Europeans risk being unsafe on the world's streets, as a crisis between Ankara and the EU showed no signs of abating.
"If you continue to behave like this, tomorrow in no part of the world, no European, no Westerner will be able to take steps on the street safely and peacefully," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara.
Erdogan did not expand on what he meant by his comments but appeared to imply that Europeans risked receiving the same treatment that, he says, is endured by Turks and Muslims in Europe.
Ankara has said the bans on Turkish ministers campaigning in the European countries was reminiscent of Nazi Germany and also raised alarm over what it sees as rising racism and Islamophobia on the continent.
Erdogan warned Europe that Turkey was "not a country to push, to prod, to play with its honor, to shove its ministers out of the door, drag its citizens on the floor."
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