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Wednesday, 7 September 2016 - 07:33
Turkey upset over PM Rutte telling Turkish-Dutch to leave
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Prime Minister Mark Rutte's statements about Turkish-Dutch in the program Zomergasten was inappropriate, ANP reports.
On the Dutch television program, Rutte was shown a film of a group of Turkish-Dutch demonstrating in Rotterdam following an attempted coup in Turkey in July. In the film the demonstrators confront a NOS journalist, making it impossible for him to do his job and making it clear that he should "fuck off".
"My primary first feeling is: fuck off yourself. Go back to Turkey", Rutte said on the show. He added that the majority of Turkish-Dutch are well integrated, but there is a minority of "Turks in the Netherlands" that stand outside society.
Turkey thinks these statements inappropriate. According to the Turkish Ministry, the statements can be used against Turkish-Dutch. In a time when aversion to foreigners is increasing in Europe, the statements harm the joint efforts to get Turkish-Dutch to fully participate in society, according to the statement.
A spokesperson for Rutte confirmed that the Prime Minister "took note" of the statement and still stands by his words, ANP reports. VVD leader Halbe Zijlstra called the Turkish statement a ridiculous reaction" that gives people that behave badly support.