Turkey warned its citizens who wish to travel on Saturday against religious intolerance in Europe and racism in the United States. This call comes the day after a call for vigilance by Western countries to their nationals in view of the risk of attacks on Turkish soil.
This call – from Washington, Paris, Berlin or Rome – to avoid crowds and tourist places in Turkey came after copies of the Koran were set on fire in Sweden and Denmark during anti-Turkish demonstrations.
A statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry states in response to Turkish tourists that there are “dangerous levels of religious intolerance and hatred in Europe.” Another press release ensures that “recently there have been verbal and physical attacks against foreigners and racist acts in the United States.”
latent tensions
These tensions are increasing, in the context of the blockade by Turkey since May of the extension of the Atlantic Alliance to Sweden and Finland, demanding in particular from Stockholm the extradition of the Kurdish refugees that Ankara considers “terrorists”.
Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO countries that have not yet proceeded to parliamentary ratification of the accession of Sweden and Finland to the Alliance. Hungary is expected to complete it next month.
Seeking to reinvigorate support from his base ahead of Turkey’s upcoming presidential election in mid-May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that Sweden can no longer count on Turkey’s “support” to join NATO. Negotiations are officially suspended.
Source: BFM TV
