Germany celebrates 35th anniversary of historic reunification

Today, Friday, Germany celebrates 35th anniversary of historic reunification. Since the reunification of East and West Germany on October 3, 1990, the country has undergone major changes in political, social and economic spheres. The topic of discussion surrounding this anniversary is what Germany has achieved and what still remains a challenge.

The national flag is flying over the German parliament building, but the importance of the day for ordinary citizens is not as great as before. Experts believe that celebrating with emotion alone is not enough; rather, it is necessary to analyze the country's achievements and challenges in the light of reality.

The Frankfurt-based Rondsu newspaper wrote, "Never forget the past, otherwise it will not be possible to rebuild the future." The newspaper also noted that although political unity has been achieved, socio-political unity is not yet complete. This requires more open discussion and awareness-raising.

The newspaper raised the question - how do Germans want to be truly united? Is the current structure strong enough, or do more real and bold reforms need to be made?

A survey by the Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel found that 60 percent of West Germans and 58 percent of East Germans expressed satisfaction. However, East-West disparities in wages, wealth and political representation still persist. While economic productivity is almost equal, social and political differences remain.

Inequality is still evident in political leadership and government. Of the 17 cabinet ministers, only two were born in East Germany. Some 75 percent of people in the East believe that important positions should be equally shared by people from both regions, while only 32 percent in the West share this view. In terms of governance, 86 percent in the West consider the current system to be fair, compared with 73 percent in the East.

Thirty-five years later, the memory of the Berlin Wall remains a part of German history. The real challenge for the country is to establish true unity through social, political and economic equality.