The Belgian ambassador to Turkey was summoned by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on 11 March the media outlet TRT Haber reported. The ministry reportedly lodged a protest with the ambassador with regard to a recent decision by Belgian authorities to terminate the case against 36 alleged PKK accomplices. Ankara also expressed its intention to appeal in a bid to avert that decision.
Earlier, a Belgian court refused to consider charges against 36 individuals suspected of working for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), kidnapping children in Belgium and sending them to PKK camps to join the organisation. Belgian prosecutors are currently looking into opportunities to get the case back into court.
READ MORE: Belgian Parliament Says Cooperation on Counterterrorism With Turkey Complicated
Turkey views the PKK as a terrorist organisation and the reason for the Foreign Ministry earlier slamming the court's ruling urging Belgium "to act in line with (its) counter-terrorism responsibilities". The PKK is also on the US, EU and NATO terrorist oranisation lists.
