Ankara, Turkey (Reuters): Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan warned the Netherlands that he could take further steps in a deepening diplomatic row, while a government spokesman in Ankara said economic sanctions could be coming.
Outraged by Dutch and German government bans on his ministers from speaking to rallies of overseas Turks, Erdogan also accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of siding with the Netherlands in the fight between the NATO allies.
Earlier on Monday, Turkey suspended high-level diplomatic relations with the Netherlands, banning the Dutch ambassador from the country and preventing diplomatic flights from landing in Turkey or using its airspace.
Those steps were taken after Erdogan labeled the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" at the weekend for muzzling his ministers.
Erdogan said in a speech broadcast live on television, "The cabinet took action yesterday but there are many other things that could be done against the Netherlands."
Erdogan, who is campaigning for an April 16 referendum on boosting his powers and has been looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe to help secure victory said, "We will show those who think they can get away with an apology that they are making a mistake."
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus later told broadcaster CNN Turk that economic sanctions could be in the works.
He also said, "Pressure will continue against the Netherlands until they make up for what they did. We've started with the political, diplomatic sanctions, and economic sanctions may follow."
Erdogan has threatened to take the Netherlands to the European Court of Human Rights over the ban on his ministers, which both the Dutch and Germans have imposed citing fears of unrest.
Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some protesters threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd.
