Turkish Minister Egemen Bagis mocked Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman during a recent Television appearance on a local talk show.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming elections in the country, Bagis said "In Israel, they have a foreign minister who flushes the toilet during a radio interview. In his youth, he was a bouncer at a nightclub in Moldova. He still thinks of himself as a bouncer, and can't make the transition into the role of a politician," he said.
Quoted on Turkish newspaper Hurriyet's website, Bagis added that "Israel's foreign policy was entrusted in the hands of this man, because they do not have a threshold in their elections."
Bagis' ridiculing comments were said in response to recent EU calls to lower the threshold in Turkey – currently set at 10% – ahead of the general elections slated for June 12.
The minister outlined his ideal formula for a stable government, saying that "in order to prevent a situation similar to that of Israel, Turkey must protect its stability while leaving room for a multitude of opinions."
"The toilet incident" the Turkish minister referred to was revealed at the end of an interview with Reshet Bet Radio station, when listeners heard Lieberman sign off the show by flushing the toilet.
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