Erdogan Slams EU for Not Fulfilling Promise of Aid to Refugees in Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized on Monday European countries for failing to live up to their promise of providing 3 billion euros (around $3.4 billion) in aid to refugees in Turkey as part of a deal reached with Ankara in March, media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — During a speech at an International Science and Technology Conference in Ankara, Erdogan said that only 179 million euros of the promised 3 billion has been provided so far, according to the Daily Sabah newspaper.

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 European Union pledged to provide a total of 3 billion euros to Turkey to help it deal with refugees, with a possible further 3-billion-euro provision in 2018.