Germany's former president condemns development in Turkey
- 7 years ago
German President Joachim Gauck said on Friday (March 3) that he saw Turkey as continuing on a "downwards level" of human rights.
"(W)e do not really know where constitutional restrictions will end. Could it go further? To what instance is it still possible there to develop trust?" said once Lutheran pastor, who came to prominence as an anti-communist human rights activist in East Germany.
During a visit from Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to Berlin's presidential residence Bellevue Palace, Gauck said that Germany must be careful in its souring relationship with Turkey.
"Are we, the democratic middle, so weak to fear the arguments of those whose political notion we do not share, so that we must prevent public speech? I don't see this as weak. I believe we should not give them our fear. So they can't simply write that off as: 'I am against the Gaggenau decision, but I am in a very complicated weighing process. And that can go once in this direction and another time in another direction," he said.
Turkey accused Germany on Friday of scandalous behaviour in cancelling rallies of Turkish citizens in two German towns due to be addressed by Turkish ministers and said Berlin provided a "shelter" for people committing crimes against his country.
The comments were made by Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been scheduled to address a meeting in the southwestern town of Gaggenau until it was cancelled on Thursday (March 2).
Van der Bellen echoed concern.
"Basic rights and freedoms were not won for the power of a minister to campaign abroad. That would be very new to me," he said during the news conference with Gauck.
"(W)e do not really know where constitutional restrictions will end. Could it go further? To what instance is it still possible there to develop trust?" said once Lutheran pastor, who came to prominence as an anti-communist human rights activist in East Germany.
During a visit from Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to Berlin's presidential residence Bellevue Palace, Gauck said that Germany must be careful in its souring relationship with Turkey.
"Are we, the democratic middle, so weak to fear the arguments of those whose political notion we do not share, so that we must prevent public speech? I don't see this as weak. I believe we should not give them our fear. So they can't simply write that off as: 'I am against the Gaggenau decision, but I am in a very complicated weighing process. And that can go once in this direction and another time in another direction," he said.
Turkey accused Germany on Friday of scandalous behaviour in cancelling rallies of Turkish citizens in two German towns due to be addressed by Turkish ministers and said Berlin provided a "shelter" for people committing crimes against his country.
The comments were made by Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been scheduled to address a meeting in the southwestern town of Gaggenau until it was cancelled on Thursday (March 2).
Van der Bellen echoed concern.
"Basic rights and freedoms were not won for the power of a minister to campaign abroad. That would be very new to me," he said during the news conference with Gauck.