Özdemir is a model person who has, with his contributions to politics both in the European Parliament and in Germany, shown that Turks living in Europe may become respected citizens of the countries they live in and add value to their respective countries. He has managed to integrate with the country where he lives without being assimilated.For Özdemir, those who do not want Turkey to change and become part of Europe are obstructing the country's progress. The main thing is to ensure that Turkey tilts toward modernity and make sound progress toward Europe. From time to time, cases of bias and misunderstanding may be seen in Europe. However, it is the duty of politicians to fight against biases and give greater emphasis to common aspects. "No one loves us," or, "They want to divide us," are clichés that must be left behind.
How a person attending a university dresses should be determined by the individual in question, not by the state. The headscarf ban is anti-democratic. However, making the headscarf compulsory or using it as a tool for pressure is also undemocratic. The Green Party harshly criticized the policy of the European Union regarding the Cyprus issue. Northern Cyprus accepted the Annan plan, while the south refused it. After southern Cyprus refused to accept the plan, the EU should have abolished the embargo on northern Cyprus. There are politicians among the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) who add fuel to tension. While I was having a meeting with DTP leader Ahmet Türk, I learned that nine soldiers were martyred in the Southeast. May God have mercy on them. Bloodshed will not bring any solution. See the last statement by Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ. The military is boldly saying that this issue must be solved and they are trying to pave the way. However, politicians are afraid. In the European Parliament, deputies are given one minute for their comments. We must speak in a concise manner, but we must perform well. Parliamentary immunity in Turkey does not comply with EU standards. In parliaments in Europe, immunity is extended only for political statements and speeches made from the rostrum. We must review our daily lives. We must not forget our traditions. We can attach importance to education and family life. We must not forget our responsibilities toward our families and toward humanity. We must try to remove TV from our daily life to the highest extent possible. TV must not be a family member. When we have guests at home, we should not sit and watch TV with them.
For Özdemir, Georgia's negative attitude toward its multicultural social nexus has created a stalemate with respect to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Since people and countries cannot determine who will be their neighbors, they must come to terms with their neighbors. Thus, Tbilisi must recognize the existing government in Sukhumi and begin negotiations with it. The desire for independence in South Ossetia is not very strong. However, there are no officials from Moscow in Abkhazia. You can see the Abkhaz identity in Sukhumi. Unfortunately, this distinction cannot be made by the EU and the US. In 2009, for the first time, Abkhazia's deputy foreign minister addressed the European Parliament and promoted Abkhazia. Parliamentarians from Eastern Europe, in particular, were surprised to see the existence of the Abkhaz identity. The border crossings between Turkey and Armenia should be opened, as well. Steps should be taken for normalization in the southern Caucasus. However, Armenia must withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani territories it occupied. By doing this, Yerevan will show its good intentions. We should avoid repeating past errors in the future by drawing lessons from them.
Özdemir is a popular personality in Germany. He is the most popular German politician, coming just after Chancellor Angela Merkel on Facebook. He is both Turkish and German. He also has Adygean -- Circassian -- roots, as his grand grandfather had migrated from the northern Caucasus. Paying homage to this migration, Özdemir named his daughter "Rasha," an Abkhaz word. He has a horse, a descendant of the famous Kabarday race. He has a photo of his horse on his cell phone. His wife, Pia Castro, who is now pregnant with their second child, is from Argentina. She is not Cuban, as her surname implies. Cem Özdemir is at peace with his roots and with himself. He has internalized Anatolia and adopted Germany. He has a nostalgic admiration toward the northern Caucasus. Last year he paid a visit to the Adygean Republic in the northwestern Caucasus for the first time. He is planning to pay another visit after the elections for the European Parliament slated for June. He is hopeful about the future. He thinks the party program of the Green Party accommodates the ideas of Yunus Emre, Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi and Hacı Bektaş. For Özdemir, Anatolia is a garden of flowers. It is his wish to see a Turkey where all the colors of this flower garden are sufficiently watered.
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