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| Angela Merkel faces call to raise freedom of speech on Turkey visit | Angela Merkel faces call to raise freedom of speech on Turkey visit |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Angela Merkel is facing dual pressure to both raise freedom of speech issues and patch up fraying diplomatic relations with Turkey during a visit to Gaziantep province on Saturday. | Angela Merkel is facing dual pressure to both raise freedom of speech issues and patch up fraying diplomatic relations with Turkey during a visit to Gaziantep province on Saturday. |
| The issue of visa-free travel, one of the key elements of the month-old deal between the European Union and Turkey, is expected to be at the top of the agenda as the German chancellor visits the country alongside the European Council president, Donald Tusk, and European commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. | The issue of visa-free travel, one of the key elements of the month-old deal between the European Union and Turkey, is expected to be at the top of the agenda as the German chancellor visits the country alongside the European Council president, Donald Tusk, and European commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. |
| On Tuesday, Turkey’s prime minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, threatened to pull out of the deal if no progress was made on the visa arrangement. | On Tuesday, Turkey’s prime minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, threatened to pull out of the deal if no progress was made on the visa arrangement. |
| But in Germany, Merkel is under growing pressure to show more spine in her dealings with the Turkish government, after giving in to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s request for the comedian Jan Böhmermann to be prosecuted for reading out a poem that insulted the president. | But in Germany, Merkel is under growing pressure to show more spine in her dealings with the Turkish government, after giving in to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s request for the comedian Jan Böhmermann to be prosecuted for reading out a poem that insulted the president. |
| In the run-up to Merkel’s Gaziantep trip, the secretary general of the Social Democrats, a junior party in the governing coalition, has called on Merkel to send out a “strong message on the issue of freedom of speech”. | In the run-up to Merkel’s Gaziantep trip, the secretary general of the Social Democrats, a junior party in the governing coalition, has called on Merkel to send out a “strong message on the issue of freedom of speech”. |
| “Without this basic right, democracy does not work – the Turkish government too has to recognise that,” Katarina Barley told the newspaper Bild. | “Without this basic right, democracy does not work – the Turkish government too has to recognise that,” Katarina Barley told the newspaper Bild. |
| Coming on the anniversary of the foundation of Turkey’s parliament, and a day before many people commemorate the start of the Armenian genocide, secularists and minorities in Turkey too will hope for a signal against Turkey’s authoritarian turn from the German chancellor. | Coming on the anniversary of the foundation of Turkey’s parliament, and a day before many people commemorate the start of the Armenian genocide, secularists and minorities in Turkey too will hope for a signal against Turkey’s authoritarian turn from the German chancellor. |
| Merkel, Timmermans and Tusk will visit a refugee project for children and families financed by the EU, as well as meet with prime minister Davutoglu. Asked whether the German chancellor would raise human rights issues, Merkel’s spokesperson said on Friday: “We will stick to our idea of what fundamental values are”. | Merkel, Timmermans and Tusk will visit a refugee project for children and families financed by the EU, as well as meet with prime minister Davutoglu. Asked whether the German chancellor would raise human rights issues, Merkel’s spokesperson said on Friday: “We will stick to our idea of what fundamental values are”. |
| In recent days Merkel has been struggling to limit the damage caused by the Böhmermann affair. | In recent days Merkel has been struggling to limit the damage caused by the Böhmermann affair. |
| Related: Obscure German law gives Angela Merkel a diplomatic headache | Related: Obscure German law gives Angela Merkel a diplomatic headache |
| Even though the comedian is unlikely to face more than a financial penalty, the incident has taken its toll on the chancellor’s authority in the public eye, with her personal approval ratings dropping by over 10 percentage points in a recent poll. In another poll, 66% of the German public said they disapproved of the chancellor’s decision to authorise criminal proceedings against the comedian. | Even though the comedian is unlikely to face more than a financial penalty, the incident has taken its toll on the chancellor’s authority in the public eye, with her personal approval ratings dropping by over 10 percentage points in a recent poll. In another poll, 66% of the German public said they disapproved of the chancellor’s decision to authorise criminal proceedings against the comedian. |
| The justice minister Heiko Maas announced on Thursday that he would present a draft bill to abolish the law on “insulting a foreign head of state” that lies at the centre of the Böhmermann affair before the end of this week. | The justice minister Heiko Maas announced on Thursday that he would present a draft bill to abolish the law on “insulting a foreign head of state” that lies at the centre of the Böhmermann affair before the end of this week. |
| Merkel had originally promised to abolish the law by January 2018. Were the relevant paragraph of the penal code scrapped before Böhmermann goes on trial, the chancellor would look even more exposed. | Merkel had originally promised to abolish the law by January 2018. Were the relevant paragraph of the penal code scrapped before Böhmermann goes on trial, the chancellor would look even more exposed. |
| Diplomatic ties between Germany and Turkey were further strained when the journalist Volker Schwenck of the public broadcaster ARD was detained at Istanbul airport on Tuesday morning and denied entry to the country. Schwenck had previously reported from rebel-held areas in northern Syria. | Diplomatic ties between Germany and Turkey were further strained when the journalist Volker Schwenck of the public broadcaster ARD was detained at Istanbul airport on Tuesday morning and denied entry to the country. Schwenck had previously reported from rebel-held areas in northern Syria. |
| Germany’s journalism union criticised the ban, saying it was a direct result of the German government “accommodating” the Turkish president’s wishes in the Böhmermann case. | Germany’s journalism union criticised the ban, saying it was a direct result of the German government “accommodating” the Turkish president’s wishes in the Böhmermann case. |
| European governments require Erdoğan’s cooperation to see through their controversial “one-in, one-out” scheme with Turkey. At a summit in March, Turkey agreed to take back irregular migrants from Europe, in exchange for an end to visa restrictions, as well as progress on EU accession talks. | European governments require Erdoğan’s cooperation to see through their controversial “one-in, one-out” scheme with Turkey. At a summit in March, Turkey agreed to take back irregular migrants from Europe, in exchange for an end to visa restrictions, as well as progress on EU accession talks. |
| But even though the scheme has been put into action, with 325 refugees so far returned to Turkey and the number of people arriving on the Greek islands reportedly having dropped 80% in recent weeks, the conditions for the deal have not yet been fully implemented. | But even though the scheme has been put into action, with 325 refugees so far returned to Turkey and the number of people arriving on the Greek islands reportedly having dropped 80% in recent weeks, the conditions for the deal have not yet been fully implemented. |
| Of the €3bn promised to help Turkey cope with record refugee numbers, only €2.61bn has so far been raised, according to a European commission report published on Wednesday. Twelve out of 28 member states, including Austria, Belgium, Poland and Spain, have so far failed to send in their contributions to the deal, amounting to £400m, and only £77m has been transferred to Turkey. | |
| The second part of the EU’s offer to Turkey, the prospect of visa-free travel granted to the country’s 80m-strong population, is also making slow progress. Brussels officials and Davutoğlu say they remain optimistic that the country will meet the 72 criteria required to be moved to a visa-free list by the end of the month. | The second part of the EU’s offer to Turkey, the prospect of visa-free travel granted to the country’s 80m-strong population, is also making slow progress. Brussels officials and Davutoğlu say they remain optimistic that the country will meet the 72 criteria required to be moved to a visa-free list by the end of the month. |
| “Benchmarks” include practical issues such as equipping passports with security chips, as well as broader questions such as Turkey’s anti-terror laws impeding the rights of minorities. | “Benchmarks” include practical issues such as equipping passports with security chips, as well as broader questions such as Turkey’s anti-terror laws impeding the rights of minorities. |
| Davutoğlu warned on Tuesday that “no one can expect Turkey to adhere to its commitments” if the new visa rules are not implemented by June. | Davutoğlu warned on Tuesday that “no one can expect Turkey to adhere to its commitments” if the new visa rules are not implemented by June. |