Seeking migration deal with Turkey
Incentives would include relaxation of visa requirements, but EU must approve first
Migration was at the top of the agenda at Tuesday’s meeting of the Council for Foreign and Defense Affairs (KYSEA), the government’s top decision-making body on foreign, defense and security affairs.
The reason is the increased flows of migrants and refugees entering the country: So far in 2023, more than 30,000 have done so, compared to 18,000 for the whole of 2022 and 8,000 in 2021, a year partly marked by travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government is eager to come to an agreement with Turkey to restrict migrant flows. Part of the deal would be the installation of a hotline allowing the two countries’ coast guard chiefs to communicate directly and swiftly deal with any emergency.
Greece wants Turkey to do three things: better monitor its land and sea borders to prevent migrant flows to Greece; crack down on human traffickers; and accept deportations from Greece. The recent improvement in bilateral relations makes Athens hopeful that Ankara will cooperate.
The government is aware that nothing will be accomplished without incentives. And to this end, they are prepared to argue for a relaxation, if not for a total abolition, of visa requirements for Turkish citizens traveling to the so-called Schengen agreement countries. But this requires EU approval.
On Thursday, Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis will meet EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in Brussels to discuss the visa issue.
In any case, Greece’s long-standing position is that migration is an EU-wide issue and not just for Greece or southern “border countries” to tackle alone. And the EU has since 2016 entered into an agreement with Turkey, offering considerable aid in exchange for Turkey’s cooperation. Of course, Turkey has not abided by several of the provisions, including the one that “all new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to Greek islands as from March 20, 2016 will be returned to Turkey.” But, as a result of the agreement, it is also hosting over 3.5 million Syrians fleeing the civil war there.
The EU could offer to take a number of those Syrians each year in exchange for Turkey’s enhanced cooperation, including satisfying Greece’s three demands. But this could be politically explosive in Europe, where attitudes against migration have hardened.
