Turkey opens borders with EU for Syrian refugees

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey opened the border with the European Union for refugees, at least 18 thousand people have already crossed it.

Erdoğan: "We have long said that we are not required to accept so many refugees. You promised to help us, but you do nothing, and yesterday we opened our borders. Already 18 thousand refugees have crossed the border, and today, perhaps, there will be 25-30 thousand, and we will not close our doors. Because the EU must keep its word".

Heads of EU member states in mid-March 2016 agreed with Turkey a joint plan to combat the migration crisis. It provides, in particular, the provision of financial assistance to Ankara to receive refugees, the return of all illegal immigrants who arrived in Greece from Turkish territory to Turkey, and the reception of legal Syrian migrants by the EU from Turkey on a one-by-one basis".