Bernard Lasotta from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) inquired the reason certain officials including ministers and the Chancellor herself visited some schools founded by Turkish entrepreneurs while not visiting others. Öney responded saying, “The laws draw no boundaries as to where the officials should choose to visit. This is merely based on the initiatives of the ministers and the ministries and/or organizations.” Noting the difficulty in classifying the Movement as a particular religious or political organization due to the wide spectrum of activities in which the Movement is engaged in, the minister stated, “The only possible evaluation to be made could be on the account of the unique Islamic interpretation of Fethullah Gulen, the leader of the Movement.”
Another inquiry was whether the Ministry of Integration engaged in any special favors regarding the Turkish citizen in Mannheim who was awarded German citizenship thus gaining dual nationality. Öney’s response was, “The matter at hand is the fact that the Law of Citizenship is awarding certain individuals who have stood out in society with special privileged rights. Special favor from either myself or my ministry has not taken place whatsoever.”
Lasotta’s criticism about Öney delivering her statement to the Turkish press in the Turkish language drew particular attention.
Published [in Turkish] on Zaman Online, 13 June 2013, Thursday
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