ULRIKE DUFNER:

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement that German foundations were allegedly assisting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the USA and other countries, is still being debated in the Turkish media.

In her Monday article (3 October), columnist Aslı Aydıntaşbaş from the nation-wide Milliyet newspaper recalled the "nationalist wind" that was blowing ten years ago. "In an atmosphere as we had it ten years ago like 'a Turk has no other friend but a Turk', does the Prime Minister think like the Chief Prosecutor of the State Security Court (DGM), Nuh Mete Yüksel, that institutions active in Turkey like the Konrad Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert, Friedrich Naumann and Heinrich Böll foundations are trying to divide the country?", Aydıntaşbaş asked.

"We cannot carry out illegal activities"

Ulrike Dufner, Representative of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Association, evaluated the Prime Minister's allegations in an interview bianet. Dufner said that the words of the Prime Minister did not refer to the Böll Association.

"We are not a foundation but an association", Dufner explained. She highlighted that as an association they were legally not entitled to give credit to a municipality, organization or any other group. Instead, they were supporting the projects these institutions are developing.

Dufner added that the association is being supported by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior and the correspondent German ministry and that any illegal activities were out of question. Each February, the Böll association presents an annual report to the government about their activities, just like any other association, Dufner noted.

"Transferring money to the PKK is out of the question"

The press had it that PM Erdoğan was actually not targeting foundations and associations but the KfW banking group, a German government-owned development bank. However, Dufner reminded the fact that in the past years the KfW had an agreement with the Turkish Government regarding development projects in various parts of Turkey.

Dufner drew attention to the fact that within the framework of this agreement the KfW contributed to development projects in Diyarbakır and other places. These projects were supported by the government. According to Dufner, it is impossible that the KfW transferred money to the PKK since the bank worked directly together with the German and Turkish governments.

"We are not close to any particular party"

Dufner emphasized that she was not concerned about the Association of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung but that she was disturbed by the supposed generality of the Prime Minister's statement.

She continued, "A general identification by saying 'You are journalists, you should investigate' is no desirable approach at all. Municipalities of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP) are being accused as well. This is a horrible thing".

"This statement created the impression as if German associations and foundations are carrying out 'illegal' activities when they work together with a party or a group. In fact, cooperating with a municipality that has been democratically elected is very natural, whatever party that is", Duffner remarked.

"If Tayyip Erdoğan wants us to work together with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) municipalities, he should say so openly. We can work with any democratic party. We are not close to any particular party". (EKN/VK