EU Commission toughens migration policy, provides another €3 bn to Turkey
By Irene Kostaki, NewEurope, March 15, 2018
The
European Union will release an additional €3 billion to assist Turkey in
accommodating Syrian refugees, while tightening its visa policy for
countries who refuse to repatriate their citizens who fail to obtain asylum in
Europe, according to the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and
Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.
European Union will release an additional €3 billion to assist Turkey in
accommodating Syrian refugees, while tightening its visa policy for
countries who refuse to repatriate their citizens who fail to obtain asylum in
Europe, according to the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and
Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.
 |
| EU Commissioner for migration and home affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos gives a press conference On Visa Policy and Migration in Brussels, March 14, 2017. |
Over 1.8
million refugees and migrants have reached Europe since 2014, according to UN
figures, the majority of whom crossed into the EU from Turkey.
Avramopoulos
said on Wednesday that the EU should pay Turkey an extra €3 billion, an amount
that still needs to be agreed on by the EU institutions and the Member States,
as 1/3 of the total is expected to be allocated form the EU budget while
the other €2 billion is expected to come directly from the individual EU Member
States’ pockets, a move that has been widely ridiculed by several European
national governments who are reluctant to hand over a substantial amount of
money to Turkey, a country that has turned its back on Europe and Western
values as the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
become increasingly more autocratic.
said on Wednesday that the EU should pay Turkey an extra €3 billion, an amount
that still needs to be agreed on by the EU institutions and the Member States,
as 1/3 of the total is expected to be allocated form the EU budget while
the other €2 billion is expected to come directly from the individual EU Member
States’ pockets, a move that has been widely ridiculed by several European
national governments who are reluctant to hand over a substantial amount of
money to Turkey, a country that has turned its back on Europe and Western
values as the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
become increasingly more autocratic.
Avramopoulos,
however, suggested that any future EU aid would be better spent because the
Commission would take more direct control over the purse strings from Erdogan’s
treasury officials.
however, suggested that any future EU aid would be better spent because the
Commission would take more direct control over the purse strings from Erdogan’s
treasury officials.
Despite a
2016 agreement between Brussels and Ankara that cut the number of migrants
headed for Greece to a trickle, Erdogan has warned that he will let hundreds of
thousands of migrants into Europe if he is pushed on his human rights record
and if Brussels moves to freeze EU membership talks with Erdogan’s
government.
2016 agreement between Brussels and Ankara that cut the number of migrants
headed for Greece to a trickle, Erdogan has warned that he will let hundreds of
thousands of migrants into Europe if he is pushed on his human rights record
and if Brussels moves to freeze EU membership talks with Erdogan’s
government.
“Listen
to me, these (Turkey’s) border gates will be opened if you go any further,”
Erdogan warned the EU in November 2016.
to me, these (Turkey’s) border gates will be opened if you go any further,”
Erdogan warned the EU in November 2016.
“Our
cooperation with Turkey is essential to meet common challenges,” Avramopoulos
said in a press conference, referring to the recurrent tensions between the EU
and Ankara amidst Turkey’s authoritarian shift under Erdogan. Avramopoulos
reassured reporters that the March 25 EU-Turkey Summit in Varna,
Bulgaria will go ahead and that the European Commission will present
the EU Executive’s positions to the meeting.
cooperation with Turkey is essential to meet common challenges,” Avramopoulos
said in a press conference, referring to the recurrent tensions between the EU
and Ankara amidst Turkey’s authoritarian shift under Erdogan. Avramopoulos
reassured reporters that the March 25 EU-Turkey Summit in Varna,
Bulgaria will go ahead and that the European Commission will present
the EU Executive’s positions to the meeting.
A rapprochement
between the EU and Turkey “is a long-term commitment”, said
Avramopoulos, adding “this a question of common and obvious political
will” and that both sides “must avoid unnecessary escalations”.
between the EU and Turkey “is a long-term commitment”, said
Avramopoulos, adding “this a question of common and obvious political
will” and that both sides “must avoid unnecessary escalations”.
Avramopoulos
said that such an unnecessary escalation risked being “blown out of proportion”
after two Greek soldiers inadvertently crossed the Greek-Turkish border earlier
this month and are currently being held in a prison in the historic border city
of Edirne.
said that such an unnecessary escalation risked being “blown out of proportion”
after two Greek soldiers inadvertently crossed the Greek-Turkish border earlier
this month and are currently being held in a prison in the historic border city
of Edirne.
Athens
said the soldiers were on a routine patrol and accidentally entered Turkey
during a moment of inclement weather.
said the soldiers were on a routine patrol and accidentally entered Turkey
during a moment of inclement weather.
