The diplomatic spat between Turkey and the Netherlands has taken a bizarre turn with Istanbul sending a consignment of 40 cattle back to the Dutch.
Turkey’s Association of Red Meat Producers has sent 40 prized Holstein cattle back to the Netherlands saying that it no longer wants them due to the ongoing diplomatic spat between the two nations.
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A war of words erupted this week between the countries after the Netherlands blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies in support of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans to make controversial changes to the Turkish constitution.
The Netherlands and Turkey have both expelled diplomats from their respective countries, but now a herd of cows has become embroiled in the spat in a symbolic gesture of support for the Turkish president.
“The Dutch Holstein cows have become very common in our country, but this breed is starting to cause serious problems. In future we do not want animal products from Holland,” the Head of the Turkish Association of Red Meat Producers, Bulent Tunc, is reported as saying by AFP.
“The first batch of Holsteins have been loaded and we will send them back,” he said.
