- Title: Turkish justice minister cancels Germany visit after address not allowed
- Date: 2nd March 2017
- Summary: UETD FLYER SHOWING TURKISH JUSTICE MINISTER BEKIR BOZDAG (SOUNDBITE) (German) GAGGENAU MAYOR, MICHAEL PFEIFFER, SAYING: "We are disappointed that it wasn't played with open cards from the start, it wasn't said from the start what it was about. Yesterday afternoon we spoke with the event organiser and received a response that there could be maximum 400 people. It was a memb
- Embargoed: 16th March 2017 17:40
- Keywords: Bekir Bozdag Turkey Germany Gaggenau mayor cancelled
- Location: GAGGENAU, GERMANY
- City: GAGGENAU, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA003669P9AF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Turkey's justice minister said on Thursday (March 3) he had cancelled a meeting with his counterpart in Germany and was returning home after authorities there denied permission for him to address supporters of President Tayyip Erdogan.
He said on Turkish television that the southwestern German town of Gaggenau withdrew permission for an event where Bekir Bozdag planned to address supporters of Erdogan, saying the venue was too small for the expected crowd.
Gaggenau's mayor Michael Pfeiffer stood by the decision in an interview with Reuters.
"We are disappointed that it wasn't played with open cards from the start, it wasn't said from the start what it was about. Yesterday afternoon we spoke with the event organiser and received a response that there could be maximum 400 people. It was a members gathering. He said he (Bozdag) was coming only as a private person," he said.
He urged the German government to make clear conditions about Turkish leaders campaigning in Germany. Erdogan is also reportedly planning a visit to Germany in March.
Bozdag's plans to rally support for an April referendum on expanding the powers of the Turkish presidency have drawn criticism in Germany amid public outrage over Ankara's arrest of a Turkish-German journalist who works for Die Welt newspaper.
In a statement on its website, the city of Gaggenau said it did not know if the Gaggenau branch of the Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD) would now carry out the event at another venue.
An official at the group said it was surprised at the news and was looking for an alternative location. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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