Date Set for Vote on Armenian Genocide Bill in German Bundestag

BERLIN (Armradio) — The German Bundestag is set to vote on a motion for recognition of the Armenian Genocide on June 2, Deutsche Welle’s Turkish Service quoted Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) First Secretary Michael Grosse-Brömer as saying, Agos reports.

Speaking to AFP, Green Party Co-Chair Cem Özdemir said: “We would like this motion to be brought to Bundestag sooner. However, there is something more important than the date, which is the fact that all political parties will speak the same.”

Özdemir also said, “Finally, there will be a clear and explicit statement in Bundestag. Yes, the name of the crime committed against Armenians in Ottoman era is genocide. Moreover, Germany is also responsible for it.”

“Christian Democratic Union keeps its promise. There is no turning back now,” Özdemir said.

Green Party brought the motion to the parliament in February, but the voting was postponed, since coalition parties Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) demanded a common motion.

Bundestag discussed a motion on April 24, 2015 for the first time, but there was no voting. While the government avoided using the term “genocide”, President Joachim Gauck and President of Bundestag Norbert Lammert openly used the word “genocide” to describe the events of 1915.

At a recent meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian Chancellor Angela Merkel assured the bill would be brought to Parliament.