Migrants to be sent back to Turkey starting Sunday

[unhappycamper]

http://www.france24.com/en/20160318-eu-turkey-approve-deal-return-migrants



Syrian migrants land in Greece after crossing over from Turkey.

Migrants to be sent back to Turkey starting Sunday
Latest update : 2016-03-18

European Union leaders approved a controversial deal with Turkey on Friday intended to halt illegal migration flows to Europe in return for financial and political rewards for Ankara, but deep doubts remain about whether it is legal or workable.

The accord aims to close the main route over which a million migrants and refugees poured across the Aegean Sea to Greece before marching north to Germany and Sweden in the last year.

After a morning of talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, European Council President Donald Tusk recommended that the 28 EU member states approve the text without changes and they rapidly agreed at a summit lunch in Brussels.

“Agreement with Turkey approved. All illegal migrants who arrive to Greece from Turkey starting March 20 will be returned!” Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka tweeted from inside the meeting.

[Ghost Dog]

1. Key points from the agreement

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35849167

Returns: All "irregular migrants" crossing from Turkey into Greece from 20 March will be sent back. Each arrival will be individually assessed by the Greek authorities.

One-for-one: For each Syrian migrant returned to Turkey, another Syrian migrant will be resettled in the EU. Priority will be given to those who have not tried to illegally enter the EU and the number is capped at 72,000.

Visa restrictions: Turkish nationals should have access to the Schengen passport-free zone by June. This will not apply to non-Schengen countries like Britain.

Financial aid: The EU is to speed up the allocation of €3 bn ($3.3 bn; £2.3 bn) in aid to Turkey to help migrants.

Turkey EU membership: Both sides agreed to "re-energise" Turkey's bid to join the European bloc, with talks due by July.

[KoKo]

2. This...

Strikes me as Deals for Lives of people and families who've been through too much suffering. But, then, I'm one of those "bleeding heart liberals." Turkey's been fighting to join the European Block for years, if I recall it correctly. Now they might finally get what they want over all this?

From end of article:

Turkey EU membership: Both sides agreed to "re-energise" Turkey's bid to join the European bloc, with talks due by July.

[unhappycamper]

4. Turkey and Russia seem to have much in common.

President Erdogan seems intent on getting rid of Kurds as well as press freedoms.

Plus many Russians now vacation in Turkey.

[Ghost Dog]

3. Greece delays sending refugees back to Turkey under EU deal

... Hundreds of security and legal experts – 2,300 according to Tsipras – are set to arrive in Greece to help enforce the deal, described as “Herculean” by European commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker.

Paris and Berlin have pledged to send 600 police and asylum experts to Greece, according to a joint letter seen by AFP.

But Greek officials said they were still waiting for the extra personnel and without them they would struggle to enforce the new accord.

“We still don’t know how the deal will be implemented in practice,” a police source on the Greek island of Lesbos told AFP.

“Above all, we are waiting for the staff Europe promised to be able to quickly process asylum applications – translators, lawyers, police officers – because we cannot do it alone.”...

/... http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/20/greece-delays-sending-refugees-back-to-turkey-under-eu-deal