BERLIN - "Turks in Germany faced two confusions in 2006. On the one hand, there was a historical turning point with integration summit and Islamic Conference, and on the other, there was conscience test, bans on language and negative developments about EU issue," said Kenan Kolat, chairman of Turkish Community in Germany (TGD), who assessed year 2006 regarding Turks in Germany.
He said, "bans on language in Germany were tragicomic. Some politicians wanted the ban on language (which is applied in some schools) to be implemented across Germany. This caused Turks in Germany to ask whether it was an assimilation policy."
"Many incidents occurred in Germany in 2006. However, the most important development was Turkish community`s breaking its silence. From now on, Turks in Germany should pursue their organized struggle professionally," Kolat noted.