The arrival of the Turkish PM Erdogan in Cologne is imminent – as the mayor of the city reports with sharp criticism. He described the visit as a “provocation.” In the night it came to the first incidents.

The tension grows in Cologne . In a few hours the Turkish Prime Minister is expected in the city, supporters and opponents are forming . Shortly before the arrival of Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at the conservative head of government Cologne Mayor Jürgen Roters (SPD).

The trip abroad was ” already a certain amount of provocation after the severe mining accident and against the backdrop of violent clashes in Turkey,” Roters said Saturday morning the radio station WDR 5 Similarly, he had expressed at  already last Wednesday. “I think it would be appropriate if Erdogan would participate in the investigation of the mining disaster , instead of going to Germany on the campaign trail ,” said Roters then.

Given the tensions in Turkey fears Roters in Cologne clashes between opponents and supporters of Erdogan . “So far we have had a very peaceful coexistence , even if different positions were there. Emotionalizes you are now ,” said the politician in the WDR program ” Morning Echo” .

In fact, hundreds of supporters and opponents have delivered verbal confrontations already in the early hours of Saturday. “We had the applied groups outside a restaurant separate from each other ,” said a police spokesman , confirming a report of the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger ” . It should be but there have been no violent incidents .

In the Cologne Weidengasse the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc , and the Turkish Ambassador Hüseyin Avni Karslioglu had eaten dinner . When this became known , spontaneous 300 supporters and opponents of the Turkish government had gathered according to the authorities . There had been vocal protests and mutual insults.

At 30,000 followers around 30,000 opponents of the prime minister will meet in Cologne under the previous level . The police with a large contingent on site. Turkish Foreign Minister had asked the Germans on Friday to prevent provocations against his boss.

Erdogan Appearance in Germany:Courting votes from Germany

Official reason for Erdogan’s speech in the afternoon is the ten-year anniversary of the Union European-Turkish Democrats (UETD) that supports Erdogan’s ruling AK Party. But observers are confident that Erdogan wants to fight in Cologne in August for the votes of about 1.5 million Turkish voters in Germany before the Turkish presidential election. Erdogan is the favorite for the election, even if he has not yet officially declared his candidacy.

At the date there have been other German politicians strongly criticized. They fear that the Islamic-conservative head of government could interfere one day before the European elections in Germany in the election campaign.