ANKARA (Sputnik) — Ankara must meet 72 requirements, including the revision of Turkey’s national anti-terrorism laws and the state of press freedom in the country, set by the European Union in order for the visa-free regime between Ankara and Brussels to be put in place. The visa-free travel for Turkish citizens is also a part of a Brussels-Ankara deal on migrants swap.
"We have met 72 criteria, as promised. And now, the European Union asks us to change the approach to the struggle against terrorism. These recommendations indicate that the European Union has a vague picture of the situation in Turkey. The implementation of these recommendations means the encouragement, if not a support, of terrorism, a chance for terrorists to strengthen their positions. We cannot take such a step, this is out of question," Kalin told reporters.
According to Kalin, Ankara implements its obligations under EU-Turkey migrants swap deal thoroughly, but Brussels is in no haste to fulfill its part of the agreement.
Europe has been beset by a refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants fleeing their crisis-torn countries of origin in the Middle East and Africa, trying to escape violence and poverty. Many of them come to Europe across the Aegean Sea from Turkey.
In March, Brussels and Ankara agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the European Union through its territory in exchange for Syrian refugees accommodated in Turkey, on a one-for-one basis. In return, the 28-member bloc pledged to accelerate the Turkish EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and the Schengen area.
