Turkey’s red meat association has ordered Dutch cattle to be sent back to the Netherlands, saying that the diplomatic crisis between the countries has led to a decision to no longer farm the cows.
The head of the Turkish Association of Red Meat Producers, Bulent Tunc, said that a symbolic consignment of 40 Holstein Friesian cattle was already on its way back to the Netherlands.
The announcement comes as millions of Dutch voters head to the polls in for the country’s presidential election.
‘The Dutch Holstein cows have become very common in our country. But this breed is starting to cause serious problems,’ he told the Anadolu news agency.
‘In future we do not want animal products from Holland. The first batch of Holsteins have been loaded and we will send them back,’ he added.
He said Turkey should start focusing on breeding its own cattle, adding ‘We have our own quality breeds’.
Tunc later told the Hurriyet daily that 40 Holstein Friesian had been sent back to Holland from the Biga dairy production site in the western Canakkale province.
‘If they don’t accept them back then we will distribute the cuts’ after slaughter, he added.
Turkey and the Netherlands were propelled into an explosive diplomatic crisis after The Hague blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies backing constitutional changes that would expand Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s powers.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has branded the Netherlands as ‘Nazi remnants’ for preventing his ministers from speaking to rallies of overseas Turks. R
Turkey has since suspended high-level relations with The Netherlands and blocked its ambassador, Kees Cornelis van Rij, from returning to his post. Van Rij is currently out of the country.
The country’s government also said economic sanctions would be imposed against Netherlands, which is a key trade partner and investor.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Wednesday that the crisis will cause no problems for the Dutch people and business world
Meanwhile, the Dutch headed to the polls on Wednesday in key elections overshadowed by the blazing diplomatic row.
Following last year’s Brexit vote, and Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential polls, the Dutch general elections are being viewed as a test of strength of far-right parties ahead of other ballots in Europe this year.
Amid the tussle between outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte and his far-right rival Wilders, many of the 12.9million eligible voters were still hesitating between the 28 parties in the running.
Most polling stations opened at 6.30am, although a few such as at Eindhoven airport were allowed to open earlier.
Polling booths set up in schools, town halls as well as shops, bowling alleys and swimming pools will close at 8am with exit polls expected shortly after.
In a final debate late on Tuesday, Rutte said: ‘When people look for leadership, they look to me.’
The leader of the Liberal VVD party is bidding for a third term as premier of the country of 17million people – one of the largest economies in the eurozone and a founding father of the European Union.
Final polls appeared to show Rutte pulling away from Wilders, crediting the VVD with coming top with 24 to 28 seats. However that is well down on its 40 seats in the outgoing parliament.
Wilders was seen as slipping, barely clinging on to second place with between 19 and 22 MPs – but still up on the 12 MPs his Freedom Party (PVV) had before.
Wilders’ one-page election manifesto includes pledges to close borders to immigrants from Muslim nations, shuttering mosques and banning the Koran, as well as taking the Netherlands out of the European Union, in a so-called ‘Nexit’.
‘Netherlands does not belong to all. Do you hear me? The Netherlands belongs to the Dutch,’ Wilders said in Tuesday’s debate.
Close behind Wilders in the polls are long-standing Dutch parties such as the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), credited with 19 to 21 seats, and the Democracy Party (D66) with around 17 to 19 MPs.
Both the CDA and D66 would be natural coalition partners for Rutte, who like most Dutch parties, has refused to work with Wilders.
On Monday, Rutte said: ‘I will not work with such a party, Mr Wilders, not in a cabinet nor with you supporting from outside. Not, never, not.’
Rutte and his government officially resigned late last night ahead of today’s vote.
Seeking to mark his differences with the fiery Wilders, Rutte has been promoting the country’s economic growth and stability during his six years at the helm.
He was also widely credited in his own country with his handling of the Turkish issue this week when he barred two Turkish ministers from addressing a pro-Ankara rally in Rotterdam.
In retaliation, Turkey accused the Dutch of ‘Nazi’ tactics, barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Ankara, and suspended high-level relations with the Hague in a raft of diplomatic sanctions.
Following the vote in the Netherlands, the French go to the polls next month with far-right candidate Marine Le Pen currently in second place behind centrist Emmanuel Macron.
In September, right-wing eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany, which has attacked Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door refugee policy, is likely to win its first lower house seats.
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