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FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki: "A sewer rat is a small, cute, yet clever and devious creature"
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IMAGO/via www.imago-images.de / IMAGO/Mike Schmidt
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned the German ambassador to Ankara because of statements made by Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki.
According to the FPD deputy, the statement referred to Erdoğan's refugee policy.
At an election campaign event in Lower Saxony, he described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a “little sewer rat”.
A spokesman for Turkey's Foreign Ministry said they condemned Kubicki's insulting words in the strongest possible terms.
The "strong" protest of the Turkish government was conveyed to the German ambassador.
Kubicki "is completely lacking in political morality and responsibility."
The "indecent statements ultimately give an impression of Kubicki's political and moral level and reveal his vulgarity."
Kubicki reacted with irony and explained: "A sewer rat is a small, cute, but also clever and devious creature, which is why it also appears as a protagonist in children's stories ('Kalle Kanalratte', 'Ratatouille')."
In terms of refugee policy, Erdoğan had “concluded a deal with the European Union that was advantageous for Turkey to reduce the number of refugees”.
After that, Turkey received money from the EU for blocking the way for refugees to Europe.
"Nevertheless, we have to see that the wave of refugees via the Balkan route increases again, which poses new challenges for German foreign and domestic policy," Kubicki continued.
Memory of Erdoğan trial against Böhmermann
The case is reminiscent of the poem "Schmäkritik" by the satirist Jan Böhmermann in 2016. Böhmermann had recited this in his TV satirical show "Neo Magazin Royale" on the public broadcaster ZDFneo and associated Erdoğan with sex with animals, among other things.
Erdoğan defended himself against Böhmermann in court and achieved a partial success.
The core of the case was the constitutionally protected freedom of art and freedom of expression on the one hand and personal rights on the other.
After judgments by Hamburg courts, large parts of the poem were banned, but not the entire work.
The Turkish President wanted the poem to be banned altogether.
Böhmermann, in turn, failed with a constitutional complaint at the beginning of the year.
Sol/Reuters