03 March 2017•Update: 03 March 2017
By Turan Kazak
AKSARAY/GAZIANTEP/DENIZLI, Turkey
Turkey's top government officials Friday slammed Germany’s decision to revoke permission for an address by Turkey’s justice minister on Thursday to members of the local Turkish community.
Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said the incident was "upsetting".
"This is an insincere approach and attitude. Such a ban is not compatible with any law, universal value or democratic understanding," he told reporters in the southeastern province of Gaziantep.
He went on to say that Germany was "embracing" terrorist organizations and providing them with every "convenience" while "muting" Turkey.
"We invite Germany and others to act in accordance with the values and criteria which they defend," he added.
Development Minister Lutfi Elvan described the move as "ugly" and "shameful", adding it "neither complies with freedom of speech nor democratic rights and freedoms".
“It made us even more upset as this incident happened in the heart of Europe and in one of the most important countries of the European Union,” Elvan told reporters during an official visit in Turkey’s central Aksaray province.
The "scandal", Elvan said, showed that Germany had “failed at internalizing the [principle of] freedom of speech”.
Elvan added: "But besides this, Germany has opened its door to terrorist organizations wide open. Today the PKK terrorist organization is acting freely in Germany and their leaders’ statements are broadcast on German TV channels. Is Germany on the side of democracy or on the side of terrorism?"
Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said the ban would not stop him from his planned visit to Germany on Sunday.
He said he would go "door to door" if necessary to meet the Turkish citizens there.
"If necessary, we will meet at cafes and homes. You can draw physical boundaries, but hearts know no boundaries. We will meet somehow."
On Thursday, the municipality of Gaggenau in southwest Germany revoked its permission for Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag's meeting, citing concerns about overcrowding. This prompted the minister to cancel his planned visit to Germany.
The cancellation from the Gaggenau municipality has drawn strong criticism from the Turkish government. After the incident, Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador, Martin Erdmann.
The event was organized by the Union of European Turkish or UETD.
Germany is home to the largest Turkish expat community in the EU, numbering around 3 million people.
