Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (2nd L) attend a ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of Victory Day, commemorating a decisive battle in the Turkish War of Independence, at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara on August 30, 2017. (AFP Photo)

ANKARA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- A top Turkish official has taken to social media to criticize comments on Turkey by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her opponent during a televised pre-election debate.

Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman to the Turkish presidency, tweeted Monday that Merkel and Martin Schulz were attacking Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a diversion from more urgent problems, such as a surge in discrimination.

Kalin said Europe's attitude toward Turkey served to create populism in German politics which would fuel discrimination and racism.

In Sunday's debate, Schulz said he would end talks on Turkey joining the European Union because of Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian policies.

Merkel, who has previously expressed doubts about Turkey joining the EU, said Turkey "is departing from all democratic practices at breakneck speed."