Presidential Spokesman İbrahim Kalın on Monday said that attacking Turkish President Erdoğan is a reflection of the narrowing vision in Europe, criticizing the anti-Turkey remarks by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and top candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Martin Schulz.
Kalın stated, on his official Twitter account, the fact that the debate between Merkel and Schulz focused on Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was no coincidence,
“Attacking Turkey and Erdoğan with total disregard for Germany and Europe's fundamental and urgent needs is a reflection of the narrowing vision in Europe.”
An anti-Turkey approach in Europe has become a means of ignoring fundamental issues, and relieving oneself through an opponent “other,” he said.
Kalın also noted that societies which identify themselves through an “other” can never find their own identities, which harms that society most.
“Mainstream German politics submitting to populism, otherization or alienation will only incite discrimination and racism," he added.
“Isn’t Germany, which welcomes terrorist organizations such as PKK and FETÖ, aware that they defend terrorists and putschists instead of democracy?” Kalın questioned.
“It does not matter which political party will be victorious in the German elections because it is now obvious which mindset will prevail. The fact that neither Merkel nor Schulz addressed discrimination or increasing racism throughout the debate shows what the German policy has come to.
“We hope that this problematic atmosphere that sacrifices Turkish-German relations caused by a narrow political vision changes soon,” Kalın concluded.
