Erdogan: EU should abide by its commitments on migrants

The European Union should keep to its international commitments on migrants, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković. 

Croatia is currently chairing the Union. 

The Turkish leader said the EU must provide shelter to the refugees flocking to its external borders.

Along with the problem of refugees, the sides also discussed the situation in the Syrian province of Idlib. 

Turkey and the EU signed an agreement on March 18, 2016, to stem the influx of refugees to Europe. Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe since the beginning of the civil war in Syria. With the agreement, irregular arrivals decreased by 99%, saving the lives of many of those who would have attempted the treacherous journey by sea.

Ankara has repeatedly complained that Europe has failed to keep its promises under a 2016 EU-Turkey refugee deal to help migrants and stem further migrant waves.

Turkish officials announced last week that they would no longer try to stop migrants from reaching Europe. Since then, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers have flocked to the Turkish province of Edirne along the border with Greece and Bulgaria to make their way into Europe.

The refugee crisis has been the main topic of discussion between Turkey and the EU recently after the former’s decision not to hold back migrants anymore as it already hosts millions of them.