Visa Showdown Between Turkey, EU

Click to read the article in Kurdish / Turkish

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said they will back away from the Readmission Agreement in case the European Union (EU) doesn’t grant Turkey visa waiver.

Çavuşoğlu interviewing to Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily, in case the visa waiver is not granted, they will drop the agreement signed on March 18 with the EU as to the refugees.

“If visa liberalisation does not follow, we will be forced to back away from the deal on taking back [refugees] and the agreement of 18 March”.

Çavuşoğlu also noted that Turkey’s expectation shouldn’t be perceived as a threat.

Commission: You have agreed to the terms

The EU Commission Spokesperson in response to Çavuşoğlu’s words said the visa waiver will be granted if all requirements are met.

The spokesperson reminding that Turkey agreed to the 72 criteria for the visa waiver, delivered the statement that “The European Commission is expecting Turkey to fulfill its liabilities”. (YY/TK)