At the highest level of security, Berlin will welcome him tomorrow President of Turkey Tayyip Erdoganin his first visit to the German capital since September 2018. The timing of the crisis in the Middle East and the Turkish president’s support for Hamas makes the visit particularly sensitive and security measures are expected to be extremely tight.

According to his police Berlin“significant traffic restrictions” are expected tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, while dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrations have already been announced, as well as Kurdish rallies against Tayyip Erdogan.

For security reasons, the police have not revealed the exact routes that Tayyip Erdogan’s motorcade will follow or the roads that will be closed. The preparation of the security protocol is still in progress, according to the Tagesspiegel.

Early in the afternoon the Turkish president will go to Bellevue Palace, where he will be received by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and then to the Chancellery, for a working dinner with Chancellor Olaf Soltz. It remains unclear whether the two leaders will hold a joint press conference. According to reports so far, there are no major public appearances planned for Mr Erdogan and he is unlikely to attend Saturday’s friendly soccer match between the national teams of Germany and Turkey at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. and will not appear at a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

For tomorrow, from 6 a.m. to midnight, an announcement has been made to block roads around the presidential palace and the chancellery, as well as access to River Spree. Permanent residents of the areas will have to carry an identity card, while gatherings are also prohibited. It is not yet known whether measures similar to those of the 2018 visit will be implemented, when airspace was blocked, snipers were deployed, specially trained dogs carried out extensive explosives checks and police boats patrolled the Spree. On that visit, 4,000 police officers were employed in the security operation and the Berlin region was declared under a state of emergency.