Ankara Blames Germany for 'Openly Trying to Command EU'

Ankara lashed out at Berlin a day after the German election frontrunners agreed that Turkey should not become a member of the European Union.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Omer Celik slammed Germany over its alleged attempts to manage the European Union alone.

"We see that some German politicians openly try to command EU organizations and EU member states in their election campaigns, they generally do not know what the EU is and they believe it is 'the United States of Germany.' These politicians do not show any respect to the values and organizations of the EU as they do not show them to Turkey, we do not accept such disrespectful statements directed against Turkey," Celik wrote on Twitter.

Celik added that instead of bringing the EU mechanism into effect, the politicians try to use the European Union as an instrument of German policy.

During TV debates on Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she personally did not see any possibility for Turkey to enter the European Union, adding that Berlin could put pressure on Ankara economically. Her opponent, the leader of German Social Democratic Party, Martin Schulz, promised to end EU-Turkey accession talks if he becomes German chancellor.

Relations between Berlin and Ankara have witnessed a setback following Turkey's failed coup attempt in July 2016. Ankara, in particular, has accused Berlin of providing asylum for coup plotters. The relations have continued to deteriorate this year, after Germany decided to ban Turkish pre-referendum rallies on its soil and Ankara refused to allow lawmakers from Berlin to visit the Incirlik airbase, where German troops are stationed.