Turkish Foreign Ministry protested the initiative of the Swiss Prosecutor's Office to prosecute the Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bagis, ITAR-TASS reported with reference to Turkish media.
Swiss Ambassador in Ankara Raimund Kunz has been called in Foreign Ministry for an explanation.
The tense situation arose last week when Bagis, returning from Davos Economic Forum in Zurich, made a statement on the "Armenian genocide" in the Ottoman Empire. This happened a few days after the French Senate approved a bill introducing criminal liability for denial of "genocide". A similar law applies in Switzerland. "I am in Zurich and declare: there was no "genocide". And now let me arrested," - said Bagis.
Swiss prosecutors after the treatment of local Armenian organizations saw in these words, a violation of Article 261 of the Criminal Code and has started a preliminary investigation. According to the channel, if the court receives documentary evidence of this speech, the Turkish minister, if will be found that is not covered by diplomatic immunity, the court will proceed to Zurich direct litigation.
Advisor to the Foreign Minister of Turkey Feridun Sinirlioglu protested Swiss ambassador and said that the initiative of the judicial authorities of his country is unacceptable.