Turkey has not officially announced a change to its policy on refugees in its country, the European Commission said on Friday, despite the fact that Ankara opened its gates encouraging refugees and migrants to cross into Greece.
We expect Ankara to uphold commitments it made on controlling flows of migrants to the European Union, the Commission added.
Turkey has committed to end irregular migration flows from Turkey to the EU and ensure improved reception conditions for refugees in Turkey, in exchange for support from the bloc.
“I would like to stress that there was no official announcement from the Turkish side about any changes in their asylum seeker, refugee or migrant policy,” a spokesman for the EU’s executive told a news briefing.
“So from our point of view the EU-Turkey statement … still stands and we expect Turkey to uphold its commitments stemming from this statement. The Turkish authorities officially confirmed there is no change in the official policy … we expect that it will continue to stay so.” [Reuters]
Sigh. The EU-Turkey Statement is not legally binding. The EU General Court ruled that it is a private agreement between Erdogan and the EU idiots. Therefore, Turkey can break it when it feels like it, and doesn’t have to say anything about a change in poiicy.
The Commission know this as well as I do, therefore they are just talking bullshit.
Calling the EU idiots is an insult to real idiots.
Just as it dfefies the concept of union, even NATO is starting to defy its concept of any alliance. A Greek delegation walks out last week and this week Erdogan requests an emergency meting after buying arms from NATO’s very adversary.
Fine, then address their denial and let them pass right to germany to prove there has been a breach.
One could swear that nations ae acting like spoiled children.
Under the Schengen Border Code, Greece and Italy are not allowed to let people walk through the country as if it didn’t exist (as happened late 2015, early 2016). All the Balkan countries closed their borders in the past, and will do so again — despite the fact that it is not legally acceptable to close borders to refugees. They got away with it because they are land borders and the dangers in closing them are less than with sea borders. Also, under the Dublin rules, the refugees normally have to remain in the first EU country of arrival.
The EU policies on refugees are in a big mess, and the Commission cannot do anything. It is up to the European Council (national governments) to create a new policy that makes sense and is legally acceptable. They refuse to do so, especially the UK, Hungary, Poland and other far right regimes. Happily, the UK is now out. Maybe Hungary and Poland will follow.