Germany says no future ‘free pass’ for Turkish politicians

BERLIN – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff says that while the German government hasn’t blocked campaign appearances by Turkish politicians, that isn’t a “free pass” for the future.

Several German municipalities cancelled rallies that Turkish ministers had planned to address in support of a referendum to give the Turkish president more powers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of “Nazi practices.”

The Dutch government has blocked appearances by Turkish ministers.

Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, told RBB Inforadio Monday: “So far, in the last 60 years of our history, we repeatedly refrained from such entry bans for countries such as, for example, the Soviet Union, China and others with whom we were in the Cold War.”

But he added: “This is not a free pass for the future.”