ANKARA
Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertugrul Gunay has said, "Exhibition and organization facilities of most of the museums in Europe are not sufficient enough anymore. They do not have financial opportunities to renew those. However, Turkey does exhibiting better."
Turkish Minister Ertugrul replied the questions of AA regarding the interview of Professor Hermann Parzinger, the President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK) which was published on Germany's weekly magazine, Der Spiegel.
On his interview, Parzinger supports that Turkey's historical artifacts were not looked after well so now, they are "under protection" in Berlin State Museums.
Gunay drew attentions to Turkey being the 16th largest economy in the world and said, "Turkey has been investing on cultural heritage and transportation and health. By their accusations, sadly, between the lines we see the old colonialist soul which was never gone and hidden somewhere. At the moment, Turkey builds museums by using the best exhibition and organization facilities in the world. I recommend Parzinger to come and visit Aydin, Eti and Gaziantep museums. Exhibition and organization facilities of most of the museums in Europe are not sufficient enough anymore. They do not have financial opportunities to renew those. However, Turkey does exhibiting better."
Gunay also underlined that Turkish Culture Ministry ask for the return of Turkish artifacts which were taken to European museums via illegal ways throughout the years.
Touching to the article, Gunay stressed that the article had to be revised because even the German journalist who held the interview insisted that the President Parzinger was wrong about what he was saying in the scope of holding Turkish artifacts.
"They are in a sense of defense. They have high number of our artifacts in their museums. When a museum returns our artifacts, it is negative for them. So that is why they are trying their best to resist until they can," he added.
Reporting by Tugba Ozgur Durmaz
