DUSSELDORF - Turkey`s parliament speaker urged Turkish citizens in Germany for integration without degeneration and said integration was not synonymous with assimilation.
Koksal Toptan who attended the "Turkish Night" hosted by Westphalia State Parliament of Germany in Dusseldorf on Wednesday addressed Turkish citizens and German parliamentary delegation.
"Whether they got German citizenship or not, I want all Turkish citizens to successfully integrate. Integration to a society means complying with all its rules, becoming a part of it. It does not mean assimilation. We have to integrate without degeneration. Our children should not forget their mother tounge," said Toptan.
Commenting on Turkey`s EU bid, Toptan said there was a wrong impression in European countries that all of Turkey would rush to EU countries once it was admitted, and said Turkey would instead take on the high standards of EU.
Answering a question from reporters on the communique of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) against the prohibition case against Justice and Development (AK) Party, Toptan said he was not informed and he had not made an invitation to PACE to issue such a communique.
(OZG-MS)