Turkey vows to retaliate against Netherlands harshly

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed Sunday that Netherlands' deportation of Family and Social Affairs Minister is unacceptable and will be responded to in the harshest way, local media reported.

"Whatever the reason for this (decision) is, it is unacceptable and will be responded in kind," he said.

Yildirim slammed that the Netherlands violated protocols with the decision, and urged Turkish nationals in the country, who went to the streets to protest the scandal, to remain calm and to return to their homes, private NTV channel reported.

On Saturday, the Dutch police blocked the Family and Social Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya's convoy from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Earlier on Sunday, Dutch police escorted Kaya back to Germany after hours of standoff between both sides.

Kaya was scheduled to meet Turkish society in Rotterdam ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum in Turkey on constitutional reform.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said late Saturday that Ankara would respond ten times stronger to the Dutch government's decision to prevent Turkish minister from entering the country.

Ibrahim Kalin, presidential spokesperson, criticized that it's a shame for the Dutch government to succumb to anti-Islam racists and fascists.

The Dutch government's decision to ban Turkish ministers and use force against peaceful citizens marks a dark day for democracy in Europe, he said on his Twitter Sunday.

Omer Celik, Turkish EU minister slammed on his Twitter that authorities in the Netherlands for engaging in "exactly fascism."

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

Naci Agbal, Turkey's Finance Minister, said that the Netherlands' decision to deport Turkey's Minister will be passed into history of democracy as a black stain.

The decision resembles a fascist Nazi understanding and evokes Islamophobia, he said.

Late on Saturday, hundreds of people waving flags flocked to Dutch missions in Ankara and Istanbul to protest the Dutch government's moves.

source: Xinhua