August 21, 2017 - 13:33 AMT
Ankara mayor seeks to insult German MP by calling him 'Armenian'

Mayor of Ankara Melih Gokcek has called Bundestag member from the Green party Jem Ozdemir 'an Armenian', seeking to insult him.

Gokcek has accused Ozdemir of being an "Armenian servant" and traitor. Ozdemir, the son of Turkish immigrants, has been highly critical of the Turkish government.

Ozdemir was the one to introduce a resolution to the Bundestag on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. German lawmakers approved the bill in June 2, 2016, much to the dissatisfaction of Turkey.

"Sit tight! You Armenian servant," Melih Gokcek wrote on both his English and Turkish Twitter accounts above a picture of Ozdemir, who is of Turkish heritage himself.

Turkish-Armenian lawmaker from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Garo Paylan responded to the mayor's comment in a tweet.

"Cem Ozdemir will become the pride of Turkey," Paylan tweeted, calling Gokcek a "racist fascist."