Bagis sends letter to Swedish counterpart

Turkey's Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart Birgitta Ohlsson after a mayor's council in Sweden has approved for the first time the reciting the "ezan," the Muslim call to prayer, from the minaret of a mosque. In his letter, Bagis said, "Your statement will definitely contribute to the further participation of Muslim communities in the social life of Sweden and to the strengthening of dialogue and understanding among the followers of different faiths both in Sweden and also in the continent at a time when Islamophobia is on the rise in many countries." Bagis also indicated that Turkey's EU membership would contribute to strengthening of intercultural dialogue and removal of prejudices, adding that mosques, synagogues and churches have been taking place together in Istanbul for a long time.