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EU to conditionally approve visa-free travel for Turkish citizens

Tuesday, 03 May 2016 2:37 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 03 May 2016 2:34 PM ]

The file photo shows flags of Turkey (L) and the European Union flying over the dome of a mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. ©AP

The European Union will conditionally approve visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in Europe's passport-free Schengen area under the terms of a refugee deal between Ankara and the EU.

Unidentified sources told AFP on Tuesday that the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, will issue the approval on Wednesday.

The commission, however, will announce that Turkey must still implement further measures for its nationals to have visa-free access to the 26 countries of the Schengen zone.

"The commission will put forward a plan to include Turkey in the list of countries exempted from visas," a European source said, adding that "only 64 out of the 72 criteria are fulfilled" and that the offer, therefore, remains conditional.

In March, Turkey and the EU sealed a controversial deal intended to stem the flow of refugees to Europe in return for financial and political rewards for Ankara.

Under the agreement, the bloc will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa exemption and progress in its EU membership negotiations.

Refugees are escorted by police as they disembark from a ferry at a port in Dikili, Turkey, April 8, 2016. ©Reuters

Turkey is required to meet 72 conditions, ranging from biometric passports to respect for human rights, by May 4 to gain visa liberalization for its 79 million Turkish nationals to the Schengen area by the end of June.

The European Parliament and EU member states must still approve the Turkey visa waiver after it clears the European Commission.

Visa-free travel for Turkish nationals is a contested issue as some EU states fear it would open doors to more migration to the bloc, which is already struggling with the an unprecedented influx of refugees who are fleeing conflict-ridden zones in Africa and the Middle East, particularly Syria.

Many blame major European powers for the unprecedented exodus, saying their policies have led to a surge in terrorism and war in the violence-hit regions, forcing more people out of their homes.

More than 184,500 refugees have reached Europe by sea so far this year, while over 1,350 people died or went missing in their journey to the continent, according to the latest data by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

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