بلجيكا: اعتذار رئيس البرلمان عن الإساءة لتركيا المسلمة

أعرب "جان بيتر بيومانز" - رئيس برلمان الفلاندرز بـ"بلجيكا" - عن أسفه على الإساءة لـ"تركيا" المسلمة, مؤكدًا أنه لم يقصد ذلك, مشيرًا إلى أن ما صدر منه أدى لعواقب لم يتوقعها تجاوزت نواياه.

وتعود القضية إلى قيام "بيومانز" بالإجابة عن أحد الأسئلة ببرنامج التلفزيون المحلي حول الدولة التي أشار الفيلسوف الفرنسي "فولتير" أنها الأسوأ مختارًا "تركيا", بعد أن خيّره المذيع بين الأتراك والمسلمين واليهود.

وقد أعرب "بيومانز" عن عميق أسفه معترفًا أنه لم يكن لديه الشجاعة الكافية لاختيار "اليهود" والتصريح بذلك بالرغم من معرفة بالإجابة الصحيحة, وقال: في الواقع كنت أعرف الإجابة الصحيحة ولكن لم تكن لدي الشجاعة لقول شيء جديد عن اليهود, فهم أُناس شديدو الحساسية, فذات مرة قلت شيئًا عن ليبراليتهم مما أوقعنا في كثير من المشكلات.

وقد أثارت تلك التصريحات حفيظة الأتراك بعد أن أبلغ "جولر تولان" عضو البرلمان الفلامنكي ذي الأصل التركي السفارة التركية; مما أدى لقيام "مراد إيرسافيتش" السفير التركي للاتصال بـ"بيومانز" لإبلاغه استنكار بلاده لهذه الإساءة.

الخبر من مصدره الأصلي:

Leading Flemish lawmaker "regrets" over anti-Turkish remarks

Peumans has said he "did not mean to offend Turks" with remarks he made during a live quiz show on a local TV channel.

President of the Flemish parliament in Belgium Jan Peter Peumans has said he "did not mean to offend Turks" with remarks he made during a live quiz show on a local TV channel, the Turkish Embassy in Brussels said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Peumans said he is sorry because the situation has caused consequences beyond his intention,” read the embassy's statement.

When asked which nation was the most disgusting on the face of earth in famous French philosopher Voltaire's opinion during the “De Pappenheimers” quiz show on the VRT channel on Sunday, Peumans -- who is also a member of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) -- said that among the choices presented to him -- “Flemish, Jews or Turks” -- he knew the answer was Jews, but because he “did not have the courage to say anything against them” he would say Turks instead.

“I really knew it [correctly] but I do not have any courage to say something new about Jews. They are very sensitive people. I once said something about their liberalism and it really caused me a lot of trouble,” Peumans had said. Following his words, film director Jan Eelen, another contestant, told Peumans that “it appears saying something against Turks is not a problem, then.”

The Turkish Embassy was informed of the incident by Güler Turan -- a Flemish parliament member of Turkish origin -- and Ambassador Murat Ersavcı phoned Peumans to convey Turkey's disapproval of the comment.

In addition to that, the remarks drew strong reactions from Turks both in and outside Belgium. In its statement, the Turkish Embassy also added that Peumans pledged to provide an explanation.

Peumans is known for boycotting receptions hosted by Belgian King Albert II as he says he is a republican. The party of which he is a member, the N-VA, supports the idea of the formation of an independent Flanders and secession from Belgium. The party is currently the smallest partner in the three-member coalition government in the Flemish region and has 16 of 124 seats in the region's parliament.