Ankara-Berlin ties to improve after German elections: Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has predicted that the country’s strained ties with Berlin will improve after Germany's parliamentary election in September.
"Criticism from Europe is about their internal politics," Erdogan said in a Saturday televised speech in the western city of Isparta.
"France and Austria did this before, we see that Germany follows the same strategy. I believe that this situation will improve after elections," he added.
Germany is set to hold parliamentary election on September 24, with Chancellor Angela Merkel running for a fourth term.
German-Turkish relations have been strained over the past year since the coup attempt of July 2016 in Turkey and Ankara’s crackdown on opposition since then.
Turkey is angry at Germany for granting asylum to officers Turkey says were behind the failed coup.
Ankara has also leveled accusations against Berlin over giving sanctuary to outlawed Kurdish militants and allowing their sympathizers to stage anti-Turkey rallies across Germany.
Berlin, for its part, has toughened its stance toward Ankara following the arrests of 22 German citizens who have been taken into custody in the ensuing crackdown. Nine of those are still in prison, including the recently jailed journalists Deniz Yucel and Mesale Tolu.
The row intensified after Turkey refused to allow German lawmakers to visit military personnel at Incirlik Air Base and another base in Konya, located some 50 kilometers south of the Turkish capital Ankara.
Turkey’s refusal to grant access to German lawmakers came after Berlin blocked visits and speeches by senior Turkish officials to members of Turkish diaspora in Germany ahead of an April referendum in Turkey.
On July 20, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that Germany would review state guarantees for foreign investment in Turkey and would urge businesses against putting their money there. Gabriel said that Berlin would also review its support for EU financial flows to the long-time aspirant to membership of the bloc.
Ankara has been engaged in suppressing the media, activists and opposition groups, who are believed to have played a role in the failed putsch.
Over 50,000 people have been arrested and some 150,000 others sacked or suspended from a wide range of professions, including soldiers, police, teachers, and public servants, over alleged links with terrorist groups.
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