Cavusoglu: Germany cannot interfere in Türkiye's internal matters

Germany cannot interfere in Türkiye's internal affairs and should know its place, the Turkish foreign minister has said, referring to Berlin's reaction to Osman Kavala verdict.

Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday that Türkiye brings into line "those who look down on the country, interfere in its internal affairs, and those that attempt to teach the country a lesson."

He was speaking at a fast-breaking (iftar) dinner in southwestern Antalya province in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“We respect them, and we expect them to respect us as well,” Cavusoglu said.

“We do not interfere in their domestic politics, and they cannot interfere in our domestic politics, judiciary, institutions, and they cannot give (us) instructions.”

READ MORE: Turkish court announces verdict on Gezi Parki case

German envoy summoned

On Friday, Türkiye summoned the top German envoy in Ankara, condemning Berlin’s attempt to interfere with independent Turkish courts.

The move came after Germany summoned Türkiye’s ambassador in Berlin over this week’s Gezi Parki verdict.

German Ambassador Jurgen Schulz was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry by Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci, who is in charge of EU affairs.

Ankara condemned the politicisation of the Kavala case and the summoning of Türkiye's ambassador to Berlin to the German Foreign Ministry, describing it as contrary to diplomatic practices.

Sources added that Kaymakci told Schulz that the conviction of the independent Turkish judiciary cannot be questioned by any institution, authority or country.

Türkiye also cited the Vienna Convention's principle of non-interference in a country's internal affairs.

On Monday, an Istanbul court sentenced Kavala to an aggravated life sentence on charges of attempting to overthrow the government by financing the 2013 Gezi Park protests.