German Parliament debates 'İncirlik' issue
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel criticized the Turkish state’s prevention of German parliamentarians from visiting İncirlik base. The issue was brought up at the German Parliament.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel gave strong messages regarding the tensions on İncirlik base in an interview with German daily Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.
Gabriel said "I can only hope that the Turkish government changes its mind in the coming days. If not, it goes without doubt that the German Federal Parliament cannot leave its troops in Turkey.”
The Minister remarked that German citizens are jailed in Turkey for unacceptable charges and prevented from leaving the country. He said "If they are to blackmail the German parliament now, it means this will have reached a level of no tolerance.”
GERMAN ARMY MUST WITHDRAW FROM THE BASE IMMEDIATELY
Many German parties have also demanded that German troops withdraw from Turkey's İncirlik base. The Greens and the Left Party submitted a joint motion on this issue and said "The German army is a parliamentarian army and the parliament should have control at all times. Therefore, the German army will withdraw from İncirlik base immediately."
The leftist opposition demanded that the motion be put into a vote in the parliament on Thursday.
Some parliamentarians from the government coalition partners Social Democrat Party and Christian Democratic Union of Germany had also demanded the troops’ withdrawal previously.
In the event of a voting on the issue, it is wondered what the outcome will be. According to the German media organization DW, coalition parties could use their parliamentary majority and refer the motion to relevant commissions.
Green Party Co-president Cem Özdemir spoke to Mitteldeutsche Zeitung and pointed out a loss of confidence between NATO partners. Özdemir said "The Federal Government has long watched President Erdoğan’s use of our troops as part of his blackmailer foreign policy.”
The German Federal Government recently issued a statement and said that the Tornado reconnaissance planes, a feeder line aircraft and nearly 260 German soldiers could be moved to Jordan.
The tensions on İncirlik base will be discussed at the Federal Parliamentary Defense Commission on Thursday.
