MSF Not EU Partner in Implementing Aid to Refugees in Turkey

The "Doctors Without Borders" group is not the European Union's partner in implementing EU humanitarian aid for refugees in Turkey.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) international humanitarian group is not the European Union's partner in implementing EU humanitarian aid for refugees in Turkey, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said Friday.

Earlier on Friday, the MSF announced that it will no longer seek funding form the European Union over its dangerous migration policies under the Turkey-EU deal to deter migrants from entering Europe. The organization said that the suspension of applications for funding will take effect immediately and apply to all MSF projects worldwide.

"MSF is not an implementing partner of EU humanitarian aid in Turkey. Neither has MSF submitted any requests for funding of their activities in Turkey. Therefore, no life-saving humanitarian aid for refugees in Turkey will be affected," Schinas said.

In 2015, funds allocated to the MSF amount to just over 1 percent of the commission's 1.5 billion-euro ($1.7 billion) humanitarian aid budget, he added.

In mid-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.