Turkey Could Get Another $3 Bln From EU After First Tranche Runs Dry

The European Union may allocate Turkey an additional 3 billion euros for refugees in the country, but only after the earlier promised 3 billion euros are spent, a source close to the EU leadership said Wednesday.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – EU may provide Turkey with more money, but first Turkey needs to spend the previously allocated 3 billion euros, a source close to the EU leadership said Wednesday.

“On March 7, Turkey’s proposal was backed by several EU countries of allotting an additional 3 billion euros for Syrian refugees in Turkey. This issue must also be reviewed by the leaders. Our position is the European Union should be able to accept this responsibility as soon as the initial 3 billion euros the European Union already promised to allot is spent,” the source told RIA Novosti. 

On March 7, EU-Turkey summit resulted in Ankara's demand for an additional three billion euros from the European Union to deal with migrants on top of the earlier 3-billion-euro EU pledge. In exchange for the additional funding, Turkey proposed a set of measures to deal with the refugee influx. On March 17-18, a final agreement between the European Union and Turkey is expected to be announced at the next EU-Turkey summit.

Europe is beset by a massive refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing conflict-torn countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The majority of them come to Europe across the Aegean Sea from Turkey.