Number of Turks wishing to return increases

TAM Director Faruk Sen said he could not say anything about how often Turks implemented their wishes to return back, but that this increase was the result of their fears about the future.

He said unemployment among Turks in Germany had reached 20 percent, and they feared a decrease in social assistance. The increasing likelihood of Turkey joining the EU in the future also played an important role in the rising rate, said Sen.

The number of Turks returning to Turkey was 35,900 in 2001 and 36,800 in 2002.