Turkish President Erdogan (above) bristled at criticism from EU members for waging a mass crackdown on opponents since he saw off a coup attempt last July. Having survived the July coup, Erdogan says the referendum is needed to guarantee stability. European politicians accuse him of using the failed putsch as a pretext for mass arrests and dismissals that stifle dissent. SECURITY RISKSSwiss police cited "significant security risks" for their decision to cancel a speech by a Turkish politician on Friday evening. The Austrian town of Hoerbranz cancelled an event with a former Turkish minister because the organisers had falsely labelled it as a book presentation.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 10, 2017 21:30 UTC