Chancellor of Austria Also Declares Referendum Campaign in Austria Undesirable

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Chancellor of Austria and Chair of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) Christian Kern said for the case that Ministers from Turkey would want to launch a referendum campaign in Austria, he would try to avoid such an attempt due to public security.

According to a report by the Austrian newsletter Kurier, Chancellor Kern answering the questions of the journalists said "I would try to avoid such an attempt due to public security" and added:

As to the referendum to be held on April 16, Kern noted he believed that "the referendum was about the abolition of democracy in Turkey" and added referring to the escalating tension in Rotterdam:

"I assume that the Turkish side could carry this game forward in Austria".

What happened?

The campaign meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on March 11 in Rotterdam for the referendum on the Constitutional Amendment Draft on April 16 was cancelled.

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Abutalip had announced that the decision to cancel the meeting was taken by the owner of the hall Park de Heerlijkheid where the meeting was to take place due to lack of fire security measures. Mayor Abutalip noted however "If the owner of the hall had not, I would have cancelled the meeting myself for public order and security reasons".

Çavuşoğlu in a TV program in CNN Türk called the Dutch "Nazis" following the remarks about Germany and if the Netherlands would revoke his landing rights, this would cause sanctions.

On March 11, the Netherlands revoked Minister Çavuşoğlu's landing rights.

Netherland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders said that Çavuşoğlu's call to the people from Turkey in the Netherlands for an assembly threatened "the public order and security".

While the revocation of Çavuşoğlu's landing rights sparked protests in Turkey and the Netherlands, Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betül Sayan-Kaya who wanted to enter the Consulate of Turkey in Rotterdam where the protests were being staged was blocked and deported to Germany with police escort.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte said that he wished the tension to de-escelate but they would not apologize.
On March 13, Turkey sent two diplomatic notes to the Netherlands.

Vice PM Yıldırım stated that high-level diplomatic ties, scheduled meetings and high-level official talks with the Netherland have been suspended.

Tomorrow (March 15), General Elections will be held in the Netherlands. (NV/DG)