Arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu addressed the German government via a post on the social network Ex, calling on it to abandon the suspension of the deal to supply “Eurofighter“ fighter jets to Turkey.
Recently, the German interim government, led by the Social Democrats and the Greens, blocked the planned export of nearly 40 “Eurofighter” fighter jets to Turkey, and according to German media, the main reason for the suspension of the export was precisely İmamoğlu's arrest. According to officials in Berlin, the arrest is an “attack on Turkish democracy“.
Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained on March 19, and on March 23, a court ordered him to remain in custody on corruption charges in the Istanbul Greater Municipality. His arrest sparked mass protests in major cities in Turkey, which resulted in clashes with police and hundreds of people being detained.
“Turkey is more than Erdogan. Governments come and go. Turkey's national interest is greater than Erdogan and İmamoğlu. I call on you (the German government) to change your mind“, İmamoğlu wrote in connection with the suspension of the deal.
“The end of Erdogan's rule is already in sight. (…) We have no doubt that Turkey will become a full member of the EU under our administration,” Imamoglu added.
Earlier this year, a source in Turkey’s defense ministry said the country was expecting a price offer for the possible purchase of "Eurofighter" fighter jets, which are being produced by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain. At the time, it was reported that Germany had softened its position after initially opposing the deal.