Bozdag: "New policies should be developed for Turkish migrants"

Speaking at a symposium which was organized in Berlin yesterday on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Turkish labor force migration to Germany, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said that he has heard during his talks with the Turkish people living in Germany that they were devoted both to Germany and Turkey and that the policies should be reviewed and renewed in order to fulfill their expectations from the two countries. "A great many Turkish people see the future of themselves and their children in Germany. Therefore they should have equal rights with German citizens. We have sincerely made efforts towards this end. What we understand from adaptation is the integration of people into society in every field by protecting their culture, religion, beliefs and identities. The integration should be carried out in line with people's requests." Bozdag added that Turks have been contributing to the German society and that they were proud of this. Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Acet also emphasized the contributions made by Turks to the development of Germany for the last half-century, saying that Turks want to be accepted by the German society and that all problems could be solved with mutual efforts. German Minister for Migration, Refugees and Integration Maria Bohmer also thanked all the Turkish people who have migrated to Germany, adding that integration didn't correspond to assimilation and that it was important to respect people's origins. Bohmer said that the 50th anniversary of Turkish migration to Germany offered a good opportunity aimed at opening a new page in relations and that a new law was prepared with regard to the adaptation and equivalence of certificates by Germany which were received outside this country.