The European Union-Turkey deal on migrants is facing hurdles as time nears for its implementation. With just four days left for Turkey to start taking back illegal migrants from Greece under the deal, all sides are discovering that several issues need to be sorted out for its implementation and the focus now is on a symbolic inauguration of the agreement.
The EU and Turkey signed the deal this month under which Ankara would take back all migrants and refugees who cross illegally to Greece in exchange for a slew of incentives to Turkey, like financial aid, faster visa-free travel for Turks in Europe and accelerated EU membership talks. It was a win-win deal for both sides. The migrants issue has divided Europe, led to the rise of far-right parties in the continent and became burning political issues in several countries, forcing the EU to find a solution at any cost. Turkey, on the other hand, which agreed to take the burden of hosting refugees, too benefited immensely from the deal.
What Turkey has undertaken to do is not a small operation. The main uncertainty is over how many refugees will be sent back from Greece and where they will be housed. The first returnees are expected to be taken by boat from the Greek islands to Dikili, north of the city of Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast. But facilities in Dikili are inadequate to house so many refugees. “Our worries are that not just Dikili but the whole region’s infrastructure is not ready if they stay here - whether it’s health or education facilities. We have expressed these worries,” Dikili’s mayor, Mustafa Tosun, said. Also, legislative and administrative changes are required to be made by both Turkey and Greece to facilitate the implementation of the deal.
One sticking point is the fate of non-Syrians. Turkey intends to send non-Syrians who do not meet asylum criteria back to their countries of origin and negotiations are continuing with several countries for this.
Despite these difficulties, EU and Turkey are expected to work hard to make the deal a success because there is no alternative to the agreement. Turkey is capable of handling the responsibilities it has been given and must be supported in its efforts to put in place the mechanism for refugee rehabilitation.
Ankara has already won international praise for its handling of Syrian refugees and for the standards of services given to the refugees. The country has spent almost $10bn since the start of the Syrian conflict as a sea of refugees flooded its border.
The European Union-Turkey deal on migrants is facing hurdles as time nears for its implementation. With just four days left for Turkey to start taking back illegal migrants from Greece under the deal, all sides are discovering that several issues need to be sorted out for its implementation and the focus now is on a symbolic inauguration of the agreement.
The EU and Turkey signed the deal this month under which Ankara would take back all migrants and refugees who cross illegally to Greece in exchange for a slew of incentives to Turkey, like financial aid, faster visa-free travel for Turks in Europe and accelerated EU membership talks. It was a win-win deal for both sides. The migrants issue has divided Europe, led to the rise of far-right parties in the continent and became burning political issues in several countries, forcing the EU to find a solution at any cost. Turkey, on the other hand, which agreed to take the burden of hosting refugees, too benefited immensely from the deal.
What Turkey has undertaken to do is not a small operation. The main uncertainty is over how many refugees will be sent back from Greece and where they will be housed. The first returnees are expected to be taken by boat from the Greek islands to Dikili, north of the city of Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast. But facilities in Dikili are inadequate to house so many refugees. “Our worries are that not just Dikili but the whole region’s infrastructure is not ready if they stay here - whether it’s health or education facilities. We have expressed these worries,” Dikili’s mayor, Mustafa Tosun, said. Also, legislative and administrative changes are required to be made by both Turkey and Greece to facilitate the implementation of the deal.
One sticking point is the fate of non-Syrians. Turkey intends to send non-Syrians who do not meet asylum criteria back to their countries of origin and negotiations are continuing with several countries for this.
Despite these difficulties, EU and Turkey are expected to work hard to make the deal a success because there is no alternative to the agreement. Turkey is capable of handling the responsibilities it has been given and must be supported in its efforts to put in place the mechanism for refugee rehabilitation.
Ankara has already won international praise for its handling of Syrian refugees and for the standards of services given to the refugees. The country has spent almost $10bn since the start of the Syrian conflict as a sea of refugees flooded its border.
