Germany has no right to block talks between Turkey and the European Union, Turkish economy minister Nihat Zeybekci said.

“We are talking to EU, not Germany,” he said commenting on the recent statement by Chancellor Angela Merkel, TASS reported.

During the September 1 press conference, Merkel said Germany does not see possibility for continuation of talks on customs union with Turkey.

Relations between Germany and Turkey have sharply deteriorated due to several factors, one of them being detention of German nationals in Turkey.