European Council Chair Tusk slams Turkey amid Dutch row

Turkish accusations of fascism in the Netherlands are "completely detached from reality," European Council President Donald Tusk wrote via his official Twitter account on March 15.

Turkey's remarks came after the Netherlands cancelled rallies by Turkish politicians in Rotterdam, which had aimed to drum up support for a referendum that would change the constitution.

"Rotterdam, the city of Erasmus, totally destroyed by the Nazis, which now has a mayor born in Morocco: If any anyone sees fascism in Rotterdam they are completely detached from reality," Tusk told a plenary session of the European Parliament. 

His remarks were echoed by European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, who told the European Parliament that he was "scandalized" by comments from the Turkish government, saying they drove Turkey further away from becoming a member of the European Union.