EU Commission backs visa-free travel deal with Turkey

http://youtu.be/b2yigYtfN1Y/
00:06:37 - RT News

Published on May 4, 2016

The European Commission has given its support to a visa-free travel deal with Turkey after Ankara threatened to back out of a landmark migration deal. It is proposed to lift visa requirements by the end of June.
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EU Commission backs visa-free travel deal with Turkey

The European Commission has given its support to a visa-free travel deal with Turkey after Ankara threatened to back out of a landmark migration deal. It is proposed to lift visa requirements by the end of June.

The decision was confirmed by European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager on Twitter.

“The European Commission is today proposing to... lift the visa requirements for the citizens of Turkey,” Vestager tweeted.

Let me be very clear: no Turkish citizen will enter the EU visa-free without a biometric passport.
— Frans Timmermans (@TimmermansEU) May 4, 2016

EU governments and the European Parliament still have to approve visa-free travel for Turkey.

“Turkey has made impressive progress, particularly in recent weeks, on meeting the benchmarks of its visa liberalization roadmap. There is still work to be done as a matter of urgency, but if Turkey sustains the progress made, they can meet the remaining benchmarks,” EC Vice President Frans Timmermans said.

That’s why the European Commission is “putting a proposal on the table which opens the way for the European Parliament and the member states to decide to lift visa requirements, once the benchmarks have been met,” he added.

According to the adopted document, visa-free travel will apply to all EU member states except for Ireland and the UK, who have their own visa requirements, and to the four Schengen-associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

“The exemption concerns only short stays of up to 90 days (in any 180-day period) for business, tourist or family purposes, among others. The visa exemption does not provide for the right to work in the EU,” the document said.

The EC also proposed to strengthen a “suspension mechanism” to make it easier for EU member states “to notify circumstances leading to a possible suspension and enabling the Commission to trigger the mechanism on its own initiative.”

Among entry conditions for accessing the Schengen area for Turkish citizens will be “the need to be able to prove their purpose of travel and sufficient subsidence means,” the paper added.

Turkey's Minister of European Union Affairs, Volkan Bozkir believes the visa-free agreement can be completed by the end of June. Speaking at a news conference with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara, Bozkir said he believed that Turkey met all 72 criteria set by EU for the deal.

According to Cavusoglu, the agreement would open a new page in Turkish relations with the EU.

“Turkey and the EU will always need each other…. The decision taken today could be a turning point in our relations," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara is about to complete the work on visa-free travel to the EU for its citizens, the country’s NTV channel reported.

The news about possible visa-free travel between Turkey and EU made headlines on Monday. An EU official told Reuters that Turkey has fulfilled 65 requirements, which means the number of conditions satisfied doubled in less than two weeks. As of the end of April, Turkey had reportedly met less than half of the conditions required.

Also on Monday the Turkish cabinet adopted a bill allowing visa-free travel for all EU citizens, including Greek Cypriots. Though visa requirement will be lifted for all Greeks in Cyprus, a Turkish official stressed to Reuters that Ankara doesn’t recognize Cyprus.

“This doesn't mean the recognition of Cyprus. If the EU abolishes visas for Turkish citizens, then we will also abolish visas for the remaining EU countries,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “Right now, Greek Cypriots can already travel to Turkey, but we are issuing their visa on a separate paper. With this new arrangement they won't need a visa.”

In April, Turkey threatened to back out of the migration agreement with the EU, unless travel rules were eased for Turkish citizens when entering the EU. The deal went into effect on March 21.

The agreement stated that Ankara promised to accept repatriated refugees from Greece with no EU entry permits, in exchange for sending the same number of vetted Syrian refugees. In return, Turkey would be given up to €6 billion in European funding over the next five years.

Turkish authorities have repeatedly come under fire from human rights groups and activists who said Ankara placed its Syrian refugees in war zones on the border with Syria.

http://www.rt.com/news/341774-turkey-eu-visa-free/

just extended the Border of the EU to the Border with Syria!
Wonder what Dummkopf in Brussels figured that one out!

isn't that best place for them? then they can actually fight for their homeland...

At first Turkey took Syrians. (They did take a hell of a lot of people).
But the Syrians were put in separate camps & did not receive attention that other seekers did. And yes, some (?) were sent back to Syria. Now, Turkey is not excepting ANY Syrians.
* Greece In Crisis - thread *

Poll: Over 60% of Germans Oppose Visa-Free Regime Between EU, Turkey

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160505/1039104320/germans-oppose-eu-turkey-visa-free.html/

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Wednesday, the European Commission recommended the implementation of a visa-free regime with Turkey as part of the EU-Turkey deal on migration.

While 33 percent of Germans support the measure, 62 percent oppose allowing Turkish citizens to enter Europe without a visa. Respondents were also opposed to the migration deal with Turkey

, with 57 percent against the accord and 39 percent in favor, results of the poll, which was published by the ARD broadcaster, revealed.

In mid-March, the European Union 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 Europe.

Turkey has yet to meet EU requirements on human rights, press freedom and minority treatment before qualifying for the free travel deal.

Idiots in Brussels have never given a Damn about the Wishes and Requirements of the EU-Member-states!

I think the stats would be much higher. I don't believe it is approx 60% (any more than I believe the public wants the Disney cartoon -Frozen 2, to have to have a lesbian affair).

No logic! Can:t possibly be the MAJORITY.

And the way, a poll is worded is crucial & the choices. This...

"While 33 percent of Germans support the measure, 62 percent oppose allowing Turkish citizens to enter Europe without a visa".
It is ALOT more than, " Turkish Citizens ",they are concerned about. Anyone can walk, through Turkey & into Europe (with this deal!).
That is the equivalent of Mexico saying, ' Well as long as South America, comes through Mexico, the USA has to take care of them'
:

Rant over

A Million More ' Syrians' (?)

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/666017/Million-Syrians-heading-Europe-unless-RAF-intervenes-David-Cameron-letter/

Europe committing Cultural Suicide!

Turkey's PM effectively resigns amid rift with Erdogan

https://www.rt.com/news/341931-davutoglu-resign-erdogan-turkey/

Turkey's PM effectively resigns amid rift with Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced he will not stand for his party's chairmanship vote, and will therefore be replaced as prime minister. It follows a reported rift between Davutoglu and President Erdogan.

Speaking at a news conference in Ankara following a meeting of the AK party’s Central Executive Board (MYK), Davutoglu said he will not be part of the vote, which is due to take place on May 22.

#Turkey 's ruling AK Party will hold extraordinary congress on May 22,amid expectations that it'll replace its current leader PM Davutoglu.
— Nezahat Sevim (@sevimnezahat) May 5, 2016

"I decided that for the unity of the [ruling party] a change of chairman would be more appropriate. I am not considering running at the May 22 congress,'' Davutoglu said as quoted by Anadolu news agency.

“I do not intend to be a candidate in an absence of consensus,” he continued.

"I have no sense of failure or regrets in taking this decision." He added that the resignation was not "my choice but a necessity."

President Tayyip Erdogan has acknowledged the announcement, saying "it is the prime minister’s own decision," Hurriyet reported.

The statement comes after crisis talks between the two politicians on Wednesday night, which dragged out for nearly two hours but failed to resolve their differences.



In a Thursday speech defending his record as prime minister, Davutoglu said he had kept the party and government running smoothly during a rocky period in Turkey. He said that no one should worry, because the “strong” AKP government would continue.

It comes just one day after five senior party officials told Reuters that the AKP was set to replace Davutoglu as its leader – and therefore as prime minister – at an extraordinary congress following an increasingly public feud with Erdogan.

However, Davutoglu said on Thursday that he will never utter an ill word against Erdogan, whose friendship he has valued above all, Reuters reported.

"I feel no reproach, anger or resentment against anyone," Davutoglu said.

Divisions between Davutoglu and Erdogan began over the conflict with Kurdish militants in the country's southeast.

While Davutoglu spoke of the possibility of resuming peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) if it withdrew armed fighters from Turkish territory, Erdogan said it was out of the question for the peace process to restart.

#Davutoglu :My friendship with Erdogan will go forever, you will never hear anything bad about him from my mouth.
— Nezahat Sevim (@sevimnezahat) May 5, 2016

Further disagreements took place after Davutoglu expressed opposition to the pre-trial detention of journalists accused of spying and academics accused of voicing support for the PKK.

Davutoglu says he will continue to carry out his duties as a parliamentary deputy for Konya in central Anatolia after he leaves office.

The May 22 extraordinary congress will be the party's first since August 2014, when Davutoglu replaced Erdogan as prime minister.