Türkiye agrees to delay visa-free travel to the EU until the end of the year

(Baonghean.vn) - On September 4, the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag quoted a source from the Turkish government saying that Ankara is willing to accept postponing visa exemption to the European Union (EU) until the end of the year instead of October 2016 as previously targeted.

Türkiye agrees to delay visa exemption to EU until the end of 2016. Photo: Reuters.

Ankara had previously threatened to scrap its immigration deal with the EU if it did not gain free movement into the EU by October 2016. However, Turkish Interior Minister Omer Celik agreed to postpone the plan until the end of the year after a meeting with EU officials on September 3.

However, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper quoted senior Turkish officials as stressing that securing visa-free access to the EU would be “no later than the end of 2016”.

The newspaper also cited EU sources as saying the two sides had narrowed their differences over the implementation of Türkiye's anti-terrorism law, which the EU had previously considered one of the conditions for granting visa-free travel to the EU for Turks.

Türkiye's representative - Mr. Celik said it would be "unreasonable" to ask Ankara to ease the anti-terrorism law in the context that the country is fighting the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization in Syria and Kurdish fighters on its territory.

Meanwhile, the EU is concerned that Türkiye will apply anti-terrorism laws beyond the scope allowed by the union's regulations.

Thanh Hien

(According to Reuters)