ANKARA
Ahead of the Germany's federal elections on September 22, an anti-Turkey discourse is again a tactic of choice for politicians in Germany vying for power.
Such tactic include Germany's efforts to block the opening of talks on a fresh "chapter", or policy area, between the EU and Turkey, and offering a "privileged partnership" for Ankara .
The former president of the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD) Hasan Ozdogan told the Anadolu Agency that the anti-Turkey campaign was launched after the Gezi Park protests.
"The whole media prepared for war. It's hard to handle this as a Turkish citizen. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the government spokesman draw a very negative image of Turkey in Europe. People who oppose Turkey's EU membership have reached from 60 percent to 90 percent now," Ozdogan said, adding that the German news media have exploited the Gezi Park protests to create an atmosphere as if Turkey was at war.
Experts pointed out that German Chancellor Angela Merkel used the unrest in Turkey for her domestic policy strategy.
Gazi University International Relations Department Professor Nail Alkan said that Merkel had never supported Turkey's EU membership and used this issue for her election campaign.
"In general the Christian Democratic Union Party speaks not positive about Turkey before elections. That's why they use this issue for their election campaign. She acts as if she has closed the doors for Turkey's EU membership and will speak after the elections in September differently," Alkan said.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
