Serkan Tören, an expert of the FDP faction in the Bundestag on integration policy
– Mr. Tören, you were born in Turkey, graduated from a gymnasium in Lübeck, became a lawyer in Hamburg. Do you think that people from other cultural backgrounds find it harder to integrate in Germany?
– To determine the "usefulness" of people for German society, one must in no way stoop to inquiring about the "cultural background" of a potential immigrant. Such a criterion is absolutely wrong. The decisive factor should be the question of the economic benefit that a new resident of Germany can bring.
In classic "immigration" countries like the USA and Canada, nobody cares where a person came from and where they grew up. The main thing here is strict qualification assessments of the applicant for entry into the country. In Canada, as you know, there is a special point system that allows assessing the level of education and professional training of new residents. The Free Democrats advocate precisely this model of immigration policy.
– Can it be said that the current immigration policy of the Federal Republic has failed?
– At the moment, we are not just not managing immigration to Germany. Honestly, we are not even looking for new people for our country. Current legislation in this area only talks about prohibitions but does not show new paths. This situation needs to change. The public climate also needs to be changed by talking about the advantages of managed immigration.
– Some politicians claim that Germany can manage on its own: after all, among today's unemployed there are a huge number of qualified specialists...
– The demographic development of the Federal Republic leaves much to be desired. We lack highly educated experts in many areas of the economy. The influx of foreign specialists is exactly what is needed to fill this gap. I think that simple retraining or upskilling of unemployed German residents is not enough here.
Undoubtedly, an important point is facilitating the recognition of foreign higher education diplomas. The ruling "black-yellow" coalition will prepare a corresponding draft law this year. And the new law could be adopted at the beginning of 2011.
– How many people could benefit from this law?
– We see a potential of 300-500 thousand people here. These are specialists we actually already have in the country. Undoubtedly, these people can help the German economy.
– Does your party intend to modernize the Citizenship Act as well?
– Indeed, the Free Democrats advocate expanding the practice of granting dual citizenship. Today's almost exclusive right of EU citizens to dual citizenship infringes upon the interests of many foreigners living in the country. For many of them, renouncing the citizenship of their homeland is a difficult decision. We want to change this situation.
Vladimir GUSHCHIN.
