Turkish prime minister Erdogan in Cologne.

On Sunday 10 February more than 20,000 Turks attended a raly with the Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan in the Arena of Cologne. Erdogan was pleading against the integration of all Turks living in European countries stating that integration is a crime against humanity. The Turkish prime minister also said that the Turks living in Europe cannot be expected to assimilate, but that they have to persist in speaking Turkish and to maintain their Turkish and Islamic culture. Earlier on the Turkish prime minister championed the foundation of Turkish and Islamic universities and colleges in Germany.