Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of blocking Turkey's entry to the European Union and ignoring Turkish workers.

Erdogan, who is set to meet in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, said in a newspaper interview earlier in the day that Turkey feels “very let down” by Germany's stance on the issue.

There are approximately 74 million Muslims in Turkey, a nation which is geographically located just on the very edge of Europe, bordering the Middle East region. Both Germany and France have expressed deep reservations about admitting Turkey into the European body.

Merkel favors a “privileged partnership” for Turkey, rather than full membership in the European Union.

“German politicians do not acknowledge enough the integration of the three million Turks in Germany,” Erdogan told the widely-circulated Bild newspaper.

The Turkish prime minister also criticized German regulations prohibiting dual citizenship and which require those moving to Germany to first learn the language prior to arrival. Erdogan claimed that the laws infringe on Turkish immigrants' human rights, and said EU membership could help provide a solution to the problem of integrating the millions of Turks who immigrate to Germany.

“Germany should do much more for Turkey's European Union membership bid, as this would massively support integration,” he said. “Because we Turks regard Germany very positively, we feel very let down on this issue.”