In recent days, Ankara has become a favorite place for European heads of government. After British Prime Minister Theresa may, the capital of Turkey, visited her German counterpart Angela Merkel. Mei, who came to Turkey immediately after his visit to the US, signed a contract on the establishment of a new Turkish military aircraft in the amount of $ 125 million and signaled the growing economic cooperation between the two countries.
While German Chancellor Merkel was most concerned about the exact implementation of the signed agreement. Of course, we are talking about the agreement on refugees signed between Turkey and the EU. For Merkel, who is preparing for parliamentary elections in the near September, the agreement has become almost a matter of honor.
So Merkel’s visit to Turkey ahead of the referendum in this country, no surprise. After and before the General elections in Turkey in 2015, Merkel visited Ankara and indirectly supported the Party of justice and development party (AKP). Although the government statement emphasized that the trip is operating, it becomes clear that this time the Chancellor and even a candidate for the post of Chancellor Merkel one stone kills two birds.
She, on the one hand, he defends his policies against refugees, with another — throwing a bone to the AKP government, which uses agreement on refugees as a threat. Press Secretary of the government Stefan Seibert (Steffen Seibert) finds such comments “absurd” but the photo in which Merkel is depicted next to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (Binali Yıldırım) will be much more realistic reviews. And it is confirmed empirically.
German Chancellor Merkel arrives in Turkey for the first time after the coup attempt on 15 July 2016. For someone- kind of a visit of condolence, but, in my opinion, for condolences point has long missed. In addition, the list of problems in relations between the two countries is becoming longer. Germany considers major problems of mass arrests in Turkey, human rights violations and freedom of thought, disregard the principle of separation of powers.
The fact that the confrontation is taking place in Turkey, is reflected in Germany as well as assumptions about the country by some non-governmental organizations, such as DITIB, or teachers of Turkish language has an impact on Germany, is also cause for concern. Berlin is worried that Turkey, with any adverse events uses a military base of Incirlik as a bargaining chip, requires to give her access to all the pictures based there razvedshkolu “Tornado”, and if not, in a threatening form rejects German plans for the implementation of the investment.
From the point of view of Turkey, the dissatisfaction is also off the charts. First of all, Turkey has been unable to obtain from the agreement on refugees that expected to receive. In addition to problems related to cash receipts, to date, no progress has been made on the issue of visa liberalisation, from which Turkey will benefit the most. For Turkey, Germany was not sufficiently sensitive to the events connected with the coup attempt of July 15, 2016, and is not cooperating with Turkey in the fight against gulenists and the Kurdistan workers ‘ party, which declared terrorist organizations. Moreover, when justice Minister Bekir bozdag (Bekir Bozdağ) said: “the West supports gülen and the PKK,” he abstained from mentioning the name of Merkel.
To the prosecutors of gulenists of Sekirei RAM (Zekeriya Öz) and Secano Fikret (Fikret Seçen), which are believed to be located in Germany and not subject to extradition to Ankara, has now added 40 of NATO officers. Berlin notes that requests for asylum by the officers working at the NATO base in Germany, will be discussed in a General manner, and does not consider it a political issue, while Ankara has a very different point of view. Defense Minister Fikri Işık (Fikri Işık), noting that the issue remains in force not only Greece, but also from all over Europe, in fact, threatened Germany.
Işık clearly defined the problem, saying: “Not to cooperate with terrorism.” He is also prepared to raise this issue at the meeting of defense Ministers of countries — members of NATO on 15 February and at the Munich security conference. On the other hand, the invitation of opposition journalists such as can Dundar (Can Dündar), at an official ceremony in Germany, in particular, the acceptance of the Ministry of justice on the occasion of the new year, Ankara also perceives as a provocation.
German Chancellor Merkel, who is heading to the EU summit in Malta via Ankara, is under pressure not only from Turkey. In Germany, many deputies from the ruling and opposition parties demanded Merkel to demonstrate a clear position in Ankara and does not mince words on the issue of violations of human rights and freedom of thought. Deputies, worried that with the transition to a presidential system Turkey will say goodbye to EU policies, calls on Merkel to openly supporting non-governmental organizations in Turkey.
Merkel will meet in Ankara with leaders of the opposition, but this does not need to be taken as a position against the AKP government. Germany and the whole EU will be the most muted voice to speak on the constitutional amendments. You can also expect that Merkel, who will try to save the plans to invest in Incirlik, will again take the initiative on the issue of the agreement on refugees and perhaps even Turkey will allocate an additional tranche. When Merkel, who made his name as a pragmatist, again get what she wants, she will start to pour in in all directions your photos with those in positions of authority.
And the AKP government will make pictures of material for forming public opinion? This issue is of concern only to those who intend to vote in favor of “no” in the referendum in Turkey, the opposition in Germany.
