BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Earlier in March, Brussels and Ankara worked out and agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants that had arrived to the European Union in exchange for Syrian refugees on a one-for-one basis. In return, the European Union pledged to provide a total of 3 billion euros (over $3.3 billion) to Turkey for dealing with refugees, with a possible further 3 billion-euro provision, accelerate Turkey's EU accession process and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and Europe.
"The aim, the target date of the fourth of April is for the start of the 'one-to-one' scheme. So the return of asylum claims that have been declared inadmissible, because they can get protection in Turkey and the start of the resettlement of Syrians from Turkey to the European Union," Bertaud told reporters.
Europe has been beset by a massive refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants fleeing their home countries in the Middle East and North Africa to escape violence and poverty. The majority of them arrive through the Turkish territory.
