AP reports from Brussels that as thousands of people near Turkey’s border with Greece wait to cross over to the European Union, a migration deal the EU and Turkey reached four years ago has become a political football.The two sides accuse each other of failing to respect their commitments.
The EU points out Turkey is waving migrants through to Europe. The Turkish government says the 27-nation bloc based in Brussels owes it money.
Agreed in March 2016, the EU-Turkey statement was intended to prevent crises like the one playing out on their borders now. The deal called for Turkey to block the flow of Europe-bound migrants and refugees in exchange for up to 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion) in aid for Syrian refugees on its territory, fast-track EU membership and visa-free travel to Europe for Turkish citizens.
The agreement slashed the number of asylum-seekers arriving each day to the Greek islands by 97%. Yet Turkey’s membership talks languish at a virtual standstill. The EU also says Ankara still hasn’t met all the conditions for allowing Turkish people to enter Europe’s borderless, 26-nation zone for short travel and business visits.
Read the full report at thenationalherald.com
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