European far-right groups are no different than the terrorist group Daesh, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik said Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference after the party's central committee meeting, Ömer Çelik criticized the rise of far-right movements in the continent. "Europe's Daesh is far-right groups," he said.
"The activities of politicians from far-right groups in Europe give room to Daesh [to propagate]," he said, adding that at the same time activities of Daesh terrorists are fodder for far-right groups.
"What Daesh is to the Middle East, the far-right groups are the same for Europe," he said.
Çelik said "some circles" in Germany tried to present a negative image of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent visit to the country.
"Far-right groups are using a matryoshka doll-like system," Çelik said.
"They are hiding their hatred for Turkey by hating our president. If you lift one doll, you will see hatred towards Islam. If you lift another doll, you will see anti-Semitism," he added.
Erdoğan's much anticipated three-day visit to Germany commenced on Sept. 27 with a busy agenda on mainly bilateral political and economic issues that aimed at normalizing once seriously damaged ties.
The rise of far-right politics in Europe in recent years simultaneously fueled the anti-Turkey sentiments as well as Islamophobic attitudes. There were more than 2,800 recorded Islamophobic attacks in Western countries in 2016. In 2017, it is estimated that they exceeded 3,000.
Çelik also described the European Parliament's decision to cancel funding meant to help Turkey about refugees as "not democratic, but an ideological one."
Last Tuesday, the European Parliament's Budget Committee said that they are canceling 70 million euros funding to Turkey.
