‘No room’ for violence and racism in Germany

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

Doğan Holding Honorary Chairman Aydın Doğan (R) receives a jersey from German Minister Böhmer as EU Minister Bağış watches. DHA photo

There is no room for violence, xenophobia and racism in Germany, the state minister responsible for integration said April 29 during a meeting organized by the German Harmony Foundation in Istanbul, attended by Doğan Holding Honorary Chairman Aydın Doğan.

“There is no room for violence, xenophobia and racism in Germany under any circumstances. We need to ensure that every single person, who came from Turkey to live in Germany, can live safe and free,” Maria Böhmer said, referring to neo-Nazi murders. Doğan Holding Honorary Chairman Aydın Doğan, EU Minister Egemen Bağış, Doğan Holding Board Chairwoman Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı and German Ambassador to Turkey Eberhard Pohl attended the event in Istanbul.

Aydın Doğan said that he wanted to see Turks in Germany as German citizens with Turkish origins.

“Because of this, I don’t wish for them [Turks], for example the ones who live in Berlin, to live a parallel life or in ghettoizaiton. After her speech, Böhmer presented a Bayern Munich jersey signed by Chancellor Merkel that reads “Geh Deinen Weg” in Germany [“Go Your Way” in English] to Aydın Doğan. “Geh Deinen Weg” is a nationwide campaign, in which all football clubs replaced their formal jerseys with the slogan to show their support for the integration process.