Earlier today, Erdogan said, among other things, that he wanted to declare the Dutch ambassador persona non grata, and then expel her from the country. It is in response to a statement that the ten ambassadors drafted together. In it they called for the release of Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala. The Dutch ambassador, Marjanne de Kwaasteniet, also signed the statement.
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According to VVD foreign affairs spokesman Ruben Brekelmans, Erdogan shows his true face with the step ‘once again’. Brekelmans calls the Turkish decision on Twitter ‘a ridiculous act and senseless escalation’. Tom van der Lee (GroenLinks) calls it ‘a bizarre decision by Erdogan’. He finds an ‘appropriate response’ necessary.
‘Lost the bag’
The Turkish president has “lost his mind and seems to be a sultan towards senility,” Derk Jan Eppink (JA21) tweeted. “Imposing people because they protest and deport ambassadors when criticized. It all fits in with Erdogan’s reprehensible working method,” says Jasper van Dijk of the SP.
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The ambassadors released the statement Monday on the fourth anniversary of Kavala’s detention. He has not been convicted and the European Court of Human Rights already ruled at the end of 2019 that Kavala should be released immediately.
‘The world upside down’
Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66) says that the Dutch ambassador has correctly pointed to the European Court’s ruling that Kavala must be released. “The fact that Turkey is expelling the Dutch ambassador because she acted in line with the ruling of that court is the world upside down.”
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has not yet received official confirmation of deportation. “We have taken note of the statements of Turkish President Erdogan today. At the moment we have no official confirmation that Turkey will expel the Dutch ambassador. We are awaiting communication from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter,” said a spokesman.
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