European Union to start sending refugees back to Turkey after deal 'approved' in Brussels

Greece could start sending refugees back to Turkey from the start of next week after a controversial refugee deal was reportedly reached in Brussels, The Independent reported on Friday.

Bohuslav Sobotka, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, tweeted from inside a meeting of 28 European leaders to say the proposals were going ahead on Friday afternoon.

“The deal with Turkey has been approved,” he wrote. “All illegal migrants who reach Greece from Turkey starting on 20 March will be returned.” 

Juha Sipila, the Prime Minister of Finland, also said the deal was approved by all EU members.

The agreement will not be official until it is signed by Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish Prime Minister.

Under the scheme, any asylum seekers arriving in Greece will be given a swift individual interview to determine whether they will be allowed to remain or sent back to Turkey.

Responding to heavy criticism from international humanitarian organisations, a spokesperson for European Council President Donald Tusk said that the agreement ensured that any removals would have to be “in full compliance with international and EU law” and that there would be no “collective expulsions”.

The EU has agreed to safely resettle one Syrian refugee from camps in Turkey for each irregular migrant returned to the country, in a move aimed to discourage asylum seekers from paying huge sums to smugglers for treacherous sea crossings.

The proposal also addresses Turkish concerns about the slow delivery of €3 billion (£2.3 billion) promised by the EU last November, by including a commitment to identify within the coming week a list of projects which will receive funding. 

A further €3 billion is being made available after the initial funding runs out and the deal is also understood to promise visa liberalisation for Turkey's 75 million inhabitants within the Schengen area from this summer. 

Source : MENA