Erdogan Says Germany Has ‘Abandoned’ Turkey on EU, Bild Reports

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Germany has “abandoned” Turkey on the issue of European Union accession and criticized the German government’s integration policies, Bild newspaper reported.

Erdogan decried the lack of support of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government for Turkey’s EU accession because Turkey holds such a “positive” view of Germany, according to the Bild interview. Asked why the integration of 3 million Turks in Germany hasn’t been successful, Erdogan said German policy makers “don’t value” the mix of cultures enough.

Germany must do more to support Turkey’s EU aspirations as a way of boosting integration, Erdogan said. He also said Turks in Germany or Germans of Turkish origin should be able to hold dual citizenship, according to Bild.

The Turkish leader will meet Merkel in Berlin today.

To contact the reporter on this story: Patrick Donahue in Berlin at pdonahue1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net