Turkish President Erdogan calls Germany’s Merkel “Nazi”

10:26, 20 March, 2017

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. Ankara launched a new wave of anti-German rhetoric on Sunday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling out the German chancellor in a televised speech, Deutsche Welle reports.

"When we call them Nazis, they (Europe) get uncomfortable. They rally together in solidarity. Especially Merkel," Erdogan said.

"But you are right now employing Nazi measures," he said, addressing Merkel directly and using the unofficial, personal way of saying "you" in Turkish.

Erdogan has previously accused both the Netherlands and Germany of acting like Nazis after the two countries prevented Turkish ministers from holding campaign rallies on their territory.

In his Sunday speech, Erdogan accused Merkel personally of using Nazi methods against his "Turkish brother citizens in Germany and brother ministers." The row with Europe "showed that a new page had been opened in the ongoing fight against our country," he added.

Berlin was decidedly not amused, saying that the Turkish president had "gone too far." 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," Gabriel said. "That's why I have let my Turkish counterpart know very clearly that a boundary has been crossed here."

 


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