Turkish EU Minister: Dutch approach ‘exactly fascism’

EU minister Ömer Çelik slammed authorities in the Netherlands on Saturday for engaging in “exactly fascism" after Turkish ministers were barred from addressing Turks.

“Fascism has awaken in the Netherland and take stage. All real democrats in the world should react to this for free world." Çelik wrote on Twitter.

He added that the Dutch prime minister has become the voice of a dark and racist mentality that led to WWII.

The remarks followed actions by the Netherlands after it canceled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permit after the diplomat pushed ahead with plans to address Turks in Rotterdam. Dutch authorities also intercepted a vehicle that was transporting Family Minister Fatma Betül Kaya to the European country.

Police used force to disperse crowd after demonstrators gathered near where Kaya's vehicle was stopped.

"Hundreds of police set up a barricade between us and our citizens. No power can cut ties between us," she said on Twitter.

The Dutch said their decision to cancel Cavusoglu's flight for "security" and "public safety" came after the Turkish minister's "threat" to impose sanctions on the Netherlands if the landing permit was revoked.

Turkey responded with a statement that requested to the charge d'affaires that "the Dutch ambassador who is on leave abroad [should] not return for a while".

In a live broadcast later Saturday, Kaya confirmed she was blocked from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

"We expect Netherlands to return to democratic values as soon as possible.

"Freedom of expression, movement, freedom of assembly, all of these have been suspended right now," Kaya said.

A Turkish diplomatic source, who spoke to Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, said Dutch diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul were closed for security concerns.

Minutes after the Dutch cancelation was announced, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the move as a measure by “Nazi remnants and fascists".

Addressing an inauguration ceremony in Istanbul, Erdoğan said: “How will your country's [diplomatic] flights come here now after not granting permission to our foreign minister?"

Several events planned for senior ministers from the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Germany have been canceled in recent days due to what Berlin cites as security grounds.