Athens wants to revamp EU-Turkey migrant deal

BRUSSELS — Athens needs to increase a migration take care of Turkey, Greek Inside Minister Dimitrios Kairidis stated. 

The European Union reached the contentious settlement with Turkey on the peak of the migration disaster in March 2016. It foresaw that each one undocumented migrants arriving from Turkey to the Greek islands with out admissible asylum purposes must be returned to Turkey. 

However as of late, that deal “doesn’t work, Turkey doesn’t take again individuals,” Kairidis informed POLITICO.

After a gathering with EU Dwelling Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and German Inside Minister Nancy Faeser in Brussels on Thursday, Kairidis stated there’s “extra cooperation from the Turkish aspect and higher guarding of the border.” Germany is anxious as a result of many migrants who cross into the EU from Turkey are destined for Germany. 

“We already see some enchancment on the bottom, particularly on the land border,” Kairidis stated.

Tensions between Athens and Ankara on migration and territorial disputes have typically run excessive. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reduce off relations with Greece after Mitsotakis urged U.S. lawmakers in Could 2022 to dam arms gross sales to Turkey. However Greece’s immediate response to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey in February this yr created a brand new backdrop for bilateral ties. Greek and Turkish leaders this summer time agreed on a contemporary begin to talks.

And after the current Turkish election, which Erdoğan narrowly received, Ankara expressed renewed curiosity in negotiations for Turkey’s accession to the EU, which leaders in 2018 stated had “come to a standstill.” In June this yr, the European Council requested the European Fee and prime EU diplomat Josep Borrell to submit a report on the state of play on relations with Turkey. 

Kairidis stated that now’s the time to “reenergize, rejuvenate and increase” the EU-Turkey migration deal. “There’s nonetheless an extended solution to go,” he added, together with “room for enchancment in each guarding the border and combating smuggling networks.”

The unique settlement didn’t apply to migrants crossing to Greece by the “land border, solely the islands,” Kairidis stated. “Now, we’d need to embody” controls of the land border in order that migrants crossing there may additionally be returned. 

If cooperation continues to enhance, he stated, the EU “can discover extra bold issues such because the visa liberalization” for Turkish residents — a long-standing concern for Turkey. A roadmap of actions particulars how Ankara may obtain this goal. 

Then there’s the side of funding. The EU-Turkey deal has thus far been financed with about €10 billion — the EU may add an “extra €3 billion now,” Kairidis stated.