President Recep Erdogan has launched yet another attack at the peak of the conflict between Ankara and other European countries in relation to cancelled events of Turkish ministers. According to Erdogan, “the spirit of fascism is roaming the streets of Europe”, “while Jews were treated in the same way in the past”.

“Europe will drown in its own fears,” went on Erdogan, having in mind the growing wave of populism in Europe over the last few years.

“The fear of the Turks is beginning to appear. The fear of Islam is beginning to appear. They are even afraid of the migrants looking for asylum. They fear everything which originates elsewhere; they are hostile to everything that is not from there,” added Erdogan.

Erdogan also accused Dutch authorities of being responsible for the massacre in Srebrenica in 1995 in which over 8,000 Muslim boys and men were killed.

“They have nothing to do with civilisation; they have nothing to do with the contemporary world. They are the ones who slaughtered over 8,000 Bosnian Muslims… during the Srebrenica massacre.”

The diplomatic crisis between Turkey and several Western European states like Holland and Germany continues after, last weekend, authorities in the Hague banned two Turkish ministers from participating in events with voters in the country.

Tension escalated further after statements of Turkish President Recep Erdogan according to whom Dutch authorities are acting like Nazis. This comment caused outrage in a country which was occupied and bombed by the army of the Third Reich during the Second World War. Erdogan gave a similar description of Germany after events with Turkish Ministers were also cancelled there.

The dispute comes at a key moment for Turkey. The long-expected referendum on constitutional amendments which stipulate a transition to a presidential form of government will be held there on April 16.

The vote is of tremendous significance for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Erdogan is a co-founder of the party and, if the vote is successful, he will increase significantly his own powers.