EU reacts to PKK rallies in Frankfurt

By Ata Ufuk Seker

BRUSSELS (AA) - European Commission spokeswoman said Monday that the PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU and its member states.

Speaking at a daily news conference in Brussels, Maja Kocijancic was asked to clartify the EU position over Germany's permission to PKK protests this past weekend

"I would like to very clearly say that PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union and by 28 member states," she said.

Her remarks came after German officials allowed Saturday a number of terrorist PKK followers to march in the city of Frankfurt, in marked contrast to their recently blocking Turkish ministers and politicians from addressing expatriates in the country ahead of a referendum on constitutional changes.

Around 9,000 people marched in the central German city of Frankfurt with PKK posters and flags, openly defying the federal government's prohibition of terrorist symbols in public places, including PKK symbols.

After the PKK march, Germany’s ambassador to Ankara was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the incident was strongly condemned, according to presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin.

On Monday in Berlin, the german government's deputy spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said the authorities of the state of Hesse were responsible for security affairs in the region, and not federal authorities.

Although Turkey, the EU, and the U.S. consider the PKK a terrorist group, it has been openly holding demonstrations for years across Europe -- mainly in Germany and France.