EU backs visa-free travel for Turks

The European Commission (EC) will conditionally approve visa-free travel for Turks in Europe's Schengen area.

The move is part of a deal under which Türkiye will take back migrants who reach Greece by crossing the Aegean Sea.

Migrants are pouring into Türkiye. (Illustration photo: Reuters)

However, Türkiye is required to meet EU standards and the agreement must be ratified by the European Parliament and EU member states. The EU is concerned that without the visa-free travel agreement, Türkiye will not be able to control immigration.

Under the EU-Türkiye deal, migrants who arrive in Greece illegally from March 20 onwards will be sent back to Türkiye if they do not apply for asylum or their asylum applications are rejected. For every Syrian migrant who returns to Turkey, the EU will accept another Syrian with a legitimate asylum claim.

Under the deal, Türkiye must satisfy 72 conditions by May 4 to gain access to the Schengen area by the end of June.

The Guardian newspaper of the UK, citing some sources in Brussels, said that the European Commission will approve this provision on May 4 even though Türkiye may not meet all 72 political and technical conditions related to border control and passports set out in this Treaty. However, EU governments and the European Parliament (EP) - the institution that has the final say on the approval, may reject this provision.

Türkiye has repeatedly said it will "abolish" the deal with the EU if it does not enjoy visa-free travel by the end of June. Under the terms of the deal with the EU, Turkey is taking back "illegal" European refugees and migrants, while the EU has promised to take in up to 72,000 Syrians currently residing in Turkey./.

According to VOV