All migrants will be returned to Turkey from Greek islands, says EU leader
European Council President Donald Tusk says the days of irregular migration to Europe are over after the council and Turkey announced that they have agreed on the principles of a plan to stop the flow of migrants and ease the burden on member states.
The main point in the agreement is returning migrants from Greece to Turkey including Syrian refugees. In return the EU will resettle one Syrian refugee for each person returned from Greece.
The EU will hold a summit in Brussels next week while in the meantime its member states and Turkey will continue holding talks on the crisis.
Tusk who finished a tour of six regional countries affected by the migrant crisis last week, said that EU leaders had made a “breakthrough”, and he was optimistic that there would be a deal next week.
He told reporters that the recent progress gave “a very clear message that the days of irregular migration to Europe are over,”
According to the new deal, all new migrants crossing to the Greek islands will be returned to Turkey and the EU will pay the cost.
For each migrant returned from Greece, the EU will resettle one Syrian refugee taken from one of Turkey’s refugee camps.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, following the summit, that Turkey had made a “bold decision to accept all irregular illegal migrants... based on the assumption that for every one Syrian readmitted by Turkey from the Greek islands another Syrian will be resettled by Europe.”
Part of the deal is speeding up visa-free travels for Turkish citizens to Europe. In addition the EU will try to deliver €3 billion it promised Turkey last October.
The main point in the agreement is returning migrants from Greece to Turkey including Syrian refugees. In return the EU will resettle one Syrian refugee for each person returned from Greece.
The EU will hold a summit in Brussels next week while in the meantime its member states and Turkey will continue holding talks on the crisis.
Tusk who finished a tour of six regional countries affected by the migrant crisis last week, said that EU leaders had made a “breakthrough”, and he was optimistic that there would be a deal next week.
He told reporters that the recent progress gave “a very clear message that the days of irregular migration to Europe are over,”
According to the new deal, all new migrants crossing to the Greek islands will be returned to Turkey and the EU will pay the cost.
For each migrant returned from Greece, the EU will resettle one Syrian refugee taken from one of Turkey’s refugee camps.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, following the summit, that Turkey had made a “bold decision to accept all irregular illegal migrants... based on the assumption that for every one Syrian readmitted by Turkey from the Greek islands another Syrian will be resettled by Europe.”
Part of the deal is speeding up visa-free travels for Turkish citizens to Europe. In addition the EU will try to deliver €3 billion it promised Turkey last October.