Turkey's foreign minister says he will go to the Netherlands to address a rally seeking the support of Turkish citizens in the upcoming referendum on expanding presidential powers. He has threatened sanctions if he is blocked.

In an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Mevlut Cavusoglu said he would travel to Rotterdam Saturday to meet supporters and added: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."

Cavusoglu also repeated the government's charges that bans on rallies are "fascist practices."

He says the German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'no' vote."</s>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Dutch were “fascists” after the government of the Netherlands blocked his foreign minister from attending a political rally in the country out of fear of public disorder.

Landing rights for the flight of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu were withdrawn, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said Saturday in a statement. The government acted after an invitation for Turks to “participate in a public meeting” with Cavusoglu in Rotterdam put “safety in jeopardy.”

“These are cowards, remnants of Nazis, these are fascists,” Erdogan said Saturday at a televised rally in Istanbul. “Lets see how your planes will come to Turkey. I mean here diplomatic planes, not the travel of normal citizens.”

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who was campaigning before March 15 elections in the Netherlands, said Erdogan’s comments were “way out of line” and “unacceptable.” Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders called Erdogan a “dictator” and told Turkish officials to stay away.

It was only a week ago that Erdogan accused Germany of Nazi-style practices after the country stopped campaign events by Turkish ministers who wanted to address an estimated 1.4 million voters living in the nation. The escalating war of words with European Union governments comes as Erdogan seeks backing for a referendum in April that would give greater powers to his currently ceremonial presidency. EU leaders have accused him of concentrating power as his government cracks down on dissent.

The fact that “a Turkish minister wants to speak about such a national topic, on a referendum that moves in the wrong direction, further away from democracy, to Turks that are also Dutch citizens, we find the whole thing undesirable,” Rutte said on Thursday.

The Dutch anti-Islam candidate Wilders held a banner at a campaign rally on Saturday that read: “Stay away! This is our country” in both Dutch and Turkish.

The Dutch foreign ministry said it regretted the course of events, but remained committed to dialogue with Turkey. Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Saturday that it has summoned the Dutch charge d’affaires.

Erdogan and the EU last March forged a deal to stem the flow of refugees entering Greece via the Aegean, with Turkey agreeing to take back people turned away. The uneasy accord helped ease the trade bloc’s refugee crisis.

“This is exactly what people like Wilders wanted,” Turkey’s Cavusoglu said of the flight ban. “The Dutch government has committed a crime against humanity.”</s>The Netherlands barred a plane carrying Turkey’s foreign minister from landing to stop him from addressing a political rally Saturday in Rotterdam.

The Dutch government announced that Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s flight permit was revoked amid concerns over public order at the expected large gathering of Turkish expatriates.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted angrily to the news, comparing the Dutch government to Nazis.

Addressing crowds at an opening ceremony in Istanbul, Erdogan said: “They are timid and coward. They are Nazi remnants and fascists.”

Earlier this week Erdogan had angered German Chancellor Angela Merkel by making similar remarks about Nazism in her country.

Cavusoglu was due to address Turkish expatriates in Rotterdam to win support for an April 16 referendum vote on the Turkish Constitution.

Pushed by Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, these sweeping constitutional changes would grant new powers to Turkey’s President and transform the way the country is governed.

Turkish politicians have sought to address rallies in European cities and towns with large populations of Turkish expatriates, but the authorities in several countries have blocked their plans.

Around 1.5 million Turkish nationals living in Germany are eligible to vote in the referendum, according to Turkish news agency Anadolu.

In the latest twist in the row, Cavusoglu angered the Dutch by threatening “severe sanctions” if he were banned from traveling to the Rotterdam rally.

“If the Netherlands cancels my flight, we will impose severe sanctions on them that will affect it economically and politically,” the foreign minister said in remarks in a TV interview on CNN Turk.

He added, “If tension will increase (between the two countries) because of my visit, then let it increase.”

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: “Many Dutch people with Turkish heritage are voting in the referendum on the Turkish constitution. The Dutch government has no objection to meetings in our country in order to inform them about that.

“But these meetings cannot contribute to tensions in our society and everyone who wants to contribute to an event must comply with instructions from the authorities so that public order and security can be guaranteed. It should be noted that, in this respect, the Turkish government does not want to respect those rules.”

Rutte said there had been discussions with the Turkish authorities to try to find a way to hold a smaller-scale meeting in a Turkish Consulate or Embassy.

However, he said, a public threat of sanctions made by the Turks before the negotiations were complete made it impossible to find a “reasonable solution” — so the Netherlands banned the foreign minister’s flight.

The Dutch will vote Wednesday in national elections in a campaign that has focused heavily on the issue of immigration from Muslim countries.

Far-right presidential candidate Geert Wilders praised the decision to bar the Turkish minister from speaking in Rotterdam, taking credit due to the influence of his party, the Party For Freedom, or PVV.

“Great! Thanks to heavy PVV- pressure a few days before the Dutch elections our government did NOT allow the Turkish minister to land here,” Wilders wrote.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the Dutch charge d’affaires Saturday following the decision to bar Cavusoglu’s flight.</s>THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Latest on Dutch barring Turkish foreign minister (all times local):

Kemal Kilicdaroglu the leader of Turkey's main opposition party criticized the Dutch decision and said, "This is not correct."

He added: "Those who defend democracy would not do such things. You'll call yourself a democrat and then not permit the flight of a minister of the Turkish Republic?"

The Dutch government on Saturday withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign minister's aircraft, drawing a furious reaction the Turkish president and escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two NATO allies over campaigning for a Turkish referendum on constitutional reform.

The Dutch government said in a statement it had withdrawn the permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by the proposed visit of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to Rotterdam.

"You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul.

Campaign staff hold a banner reading "Stay Away, This Is Our Country" as firebrand anti Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, left, protests outside the Turkish embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 8, 2017, against the planned campaign visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to lobby for a referendum giving President Erdogan increased powers. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)</s>The Dutch government on Saturday withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign minister's aircraft, drawing the ire of the Turkish president and escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two NATO allies over campaigning for a Turkish referendum on constitutional reform.

The Dutch government said in a statement it had withdrawn the permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by the proposed visit of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to Rotterdam.

"You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul.

"They do not know politics or international diplomacy," said Erdogan and added, "these Nazi remnants, they are fascists" with the crowds booing.

Earlier Saturday, in an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Cavusoglu said: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."

He also repeated the government's charges that bans on rallies are "fascist practices."

Cavusoglu said that the German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'no' vote." The constitutional changes would give the president more powers.

The Dutch government said it had been searching with Turkish authorities for an "acceptable solution" to Cavusoglu's plan to campaign in the Netherlands, but "before these talks were completed, Turkish authorities publicly threatened sanctions. That makes the search for a reasonable solution impossible."

The diplomatic row comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls in a March 15 election for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains.

Ahead of Saturday's decision, Wilders had accused the government of a weak response to Turkish plans to send ministers to the Netherlands to campaign.

The Dutch government said it does not object to meetings in the Netherlands to give information about the Turkish referendum, "but these meetings should not add to tensions in our society and everybody who wants to organize a meeting must adhere to instructions from authorities so that public order and security can be guaranteed."

It said the Turkish government "does not want to respect the rules in this matter."</s>Turkey's foreign minister says he will go to the Netherlands to address a rally seeking the support of Turkish citizens in the upcoming referendum on expanding presidential powers. He has threatened sanctions if he is blocked.

In an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Mevlut Cavusoglu said he would travel to Rotterdam Saturday to meet supporters and added: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."

Cavusoglu also repeated the government's charges that bans on rallies are "fascist practices."

He says the German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'no' vote."</s>Turkey's foreign minister says he will go to the Netherlands to address a rally seeking the support of Turkish citizens in the upcoming referendum on expanding presidential powers. He has threatened sanctions if he is blocked.

In an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Mevlut Cavusoglu said he would travel to Rotterdam Saturday to meet supporters and added: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."

Cavusoglu also repeated the government's charges that bans on rallies are "fascist practices."

He says the German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'no' vote."</s>The Latest on Dutch barring Turkish foreign minister (all times local):

Turkey's foreign minister says that the Dutch decision to deny his plane landing permission for him to enter the Netherlands "is a scandal in every way and cannot be accepted."

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was due to visit Rotterdam on Saturday to campaign for a referendum next month on constitutional reforms in Turkey. The Dutch government says that it withdrew the permission because of "risks to public order and security."

Cavusoglu, speaking at Istanbul's airport, said that the Dutch are trying to prevent Turkish officials from meeting voters in Europe.

He said: "So they cancelled it due to security concerns, what, so is the minister a terrorist?"

The minister added: "We will give them the response they deserve."

He also said that "we have received many supportive messages from the Netherlands, saying they don't agree with their government's racist, fascist policies."

Around 100 people have marched in Istanbul to protest Netherlands' decision to bar Turkey's foreign minister from campaigning.

The demonstrators have laid a black wreath in front of the Dutch Consulate amid a heavy police presence.

The pro-government group said in a statement, "Today we see the Dutch government making decisions that hurt the Turkish nation."

Emphasizing freedom of assembly and expression, the group said, "Netherlands has made big mistakes towards Turkey's ministers in terms of democratic rights and freedoms."

The group chanted "God is Great" and other slogans before dispersing.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim criticized Netherlands' decision, calling on Europe to cease meddling in Turkey's affairs.

Speaking at a rally in western Turkey, Yildirim said: "They are banning our ministers and lawmakers who were going there to meet our citizens living abroad, they are creating obstacles."

The prime minister added: "Hey Europe, please don't meddle in Turkey's internal affairs and politics and don't take a side."

The Turkish government accuses Germany and Netherlands of preventing campaigns in order to influence a "no" vote in the referendum.

The organizers of the planned rally in Rotterdam with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu appealed for calm after the Dutch government barred him from coming to campaign for next month's referendum in Turkey.

The organizers said: "We are asking all our citizens to stay home, calm and subdued."

The organizers said that "the decision is undemocratic and counter to the freedom of assembly and freedom of expression." Since the rally was called off, they said Turkish-Dutch citizens who have a right to vote in the referendum "would give a fitting answer" in the vote, which the Dutch government sees as a step backward in the democratic process in Turkey.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called a Turkish allegation that the Dutch acted like "fascists" by banning the foreign minister from entering the Netherlands to campaign "a crazy remark."

"I understand they are angry but this is of course way out of line," Rutte said in the southern Netherlands during a campaign rally for next Wednesday's Dutch elections.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Dutch "do not know politics or international diplomacy" and added, "these Nazi remnants, they are fascists."

Rutte said it was not right "for Turkish ministers to campaign in the Netherlands among Dutch people —with potentially a Turkish passport, yes — but first of all Dutch people."

Despite the angry words, Rutte said it was important to keep good relations with Turkey.

"We will do everything to keep the relations with Turkey as good as possible, as strong as possible," Rutte said. The Netherlands and Turkey are NATO allies and, through the European Union, it also has a major agreement with Ankara on migration flows.

Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik has tweeted that the decision to block a visit by the Turkish foreign minister "will go down in history as a dark spot on the Netherlands' democracy and diplomacy."

Celik said: "The Netherlands' decision to cancel the flight permit of our foreign minister is not befitting of friendship. This decision does not suit our alliance and our friendship that has spanned centuries. If racist Geert Wilders were in power in the Netherlands, he'd make such a decision."

Kemal Kilicdaroglu the leader of Turkey's main opposition party criticized the Dutch decision and said, "This is not correct."

He added: "Those who defend democracy would not do such things. You'll call yourself a democrat and then not permit the flight of a minister of the Turkish Republic?"

The Dutch government on Saturday withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign minister's aircraft, drawing a furious reaction the Turkish president and escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two NATO allies over campaigning for a Turkish referendum on constitutional reform.

The Dutch government said in a statement it had withdrawn the permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by the proposed visit of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to Rotterdam.

"You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul.</s>The Dutch government on Saturday withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign minister's aircraft, drawing the ire of the Turkish president and escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two NATO allies over campaigning for a Turkish referendum on constitutional reform.

The Dutch government said in a statement it had withdrawn the permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by the proposed visit of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to Rotterdam.

"You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul.

"They do not know politics or international diplomacy," said Erdogan and added, "these Nazi remnants, they are fascists" with the crowds booing.

Earlier Saturday, in an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Cavusoglu said: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."

He also repeated the government's charges that bans on rallies are "fascist practices."

Cavusoglu said that the German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'no' vote." The constitutional changes would give the president more powers.

The Dutch government said it had been searching with Turkish authorities for an "acceptable solution" to Cavusoglu's plan to campaign in the Netherlands, but "before these talks were completed, Turkish authorities publicly threatened sanctions. That makes the search for a reasonable solution impossible."

The diplomatic row comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls in a March 15 election for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains.

Ahead of Saturday's decision, Wilders had accused the government of a weak response to Turkish plans to send ministers to the Netherlands to campaign.

The Dutch government said it does not object to meetings in the Netherlands to give information about the Turkish referendum, "but these meetings should not add to tensions in our society and everybody who wants to organize a meeting must adhere to instructions from authorities so that public order and security can be guaranteed."

It said the Turkish government "does not want to respect the rules in this matter."</s>Protests broke out in Rotterdam and in front of Dutch diplomatic missions in Turkey on Saturday after the Netherlands barred a plane carrying Turkey’s foreign minister from landing to stop him from addressing a political rally in the port city.

The Dutch government announced that Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s flight permit was revoked amid concerns over public order at the expected large gathering of Turkish expatriates.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted angrily to the news, comparing the Dutch government to Nazis.

Addressing crowds at an opening ceremony in Istanbul, Erdogan said: “They are timid and coward. They are Nazi remnants and fascists.”

Earlier this week, Erdogan angered German Chancellor Angela Merkel by making similar remarks about Nazism in her country.

Cavusoglu was due to address Turkish expatriates in Rotterdam to win support for an April 16 referendum vote on the Turkish Constitution.

Pushed by Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, these sweeping constitutional changes would grant new powers to Turkey’s President and transform the way the country is governed.

Turkish politicians have sought to address rallies in European cities and towns that have large populations of Turkish expatriates — around 1.5 million Turkish nationals living in Germany are eligible to vote in the referendum, according to Turkish news agency Anadolu.

But the authorities in several countries have blocked their plans.

Saturday, the Turkish family affairs minister was prevented by Dutch police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Minister Fatima Betul Sayan Kaya tweeted: “Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights.”

Large protests broke out Saturday night in Rotterdam and in the major Turkish cities of Ankara and Istanbul. Demonstrators waved Turkish flags and blocked the entrances to the diplomatic buildings.

In the latest twist in the row, Cavusoglu angered the Dutch by threatening “severe sanctions” if he were banned from traveling to the Rotterdam rally.

“If the Netherlands cancels my flight, we will impose severe sanctions on them that will affect it economically and politically,” the foreign minister said in remarks in a TV interview on CNN Turk.

He added, “If tension will increase (between the two countries) because of my visit, then let it increase.”

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: “Many Dutch people with Turkish heritage are voting in the referendum on the Turkish constitution. The Dutch government has no objection to meetings in our country in order to inform them about that.

“But these meetings cannot contribute to tensions in our society and everyone who wants to contribute to an event must comply with instructions from the authorities so that public order and security can be guaranteed. It should be noted that, in this respect, the Turkish government does not want to respect those rules.”

The Dutch will vote Wednesday in national elections in a campaign that has focused heavily on the issue of immigration from Muslim countries.

Far-right presidential candidate Geert Wilders praised the decision to bar the Turkish minister from speaking in Rotterdam, taking credit due to the influence of his party, the Party For Freedom, or PVV.

“Great! Thanks to heavy PVV- pressure a few days before the Dutch elections our government did NOT allow the Turkish minister to land here,” Wilders wrote.

The decision by the Netherlands was driven by concerns that Wilders might win next week’s election, according to Enes Bayrakli, an assistant professor of political science at the Turkish-German University in Istanbul.

Bayrakli told CNN: “I think it is a quite a serious diplomatic scandal because Turkey and Holland are allies in NATO and the EU. They have very good relations, and I think the Dutch government took this decision in order to give a message to Geert Wilders in the election. It’s a right-wing populist message. The government is quite concerned it will lose to Geert Wilders, but I think this is a wrong step.”

Bayrakli said: “This shows how ridiculous the action of the Dutch government is. In the EU there are no borders between countries. You cannot prevent people traveling from one country to another.”
Dutch authorities withdrew landing permission for a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who was due to speak at a Rotterdam rally in support of a 'Yes' vote in April's constitutional referendum.