Turkey accuses Greece of violating non-refoulement principle
Turkish officials criticized Greece for its brutal treatment of migrants and refugees fleeing conflicts in their homeland, as they urged the global community to cooperate to enhance living conditions and prevent human trafficking
CONTINUED FORM PAGE ONETURKEY spent some $40 billion (TL 281.13 billion) from its own pocket to help Syrians fleeing the war, the deputy foreign minister said, adding that the country also constructed 52,000 homes in Idlib to host 2 million displaced individuals.
The deputy foreign minister also criticized the EU for failing to fulfill its pledges as part of the March 2016 pact. Kıran said Turkey has done its part by preventing 2 million irregular migrants from reaching Europe through the Balkan route.
Kıran also said Turkey has been especially trying to prevent further victimization of migrants and refugees as a result of human trafficking and has granted residency and work permits to individuals as part of a program for victims of trafficking.
GREEK ACTIONS ‘INHUMANE’
On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also criticized Greece and the EU for their treatment of migrants, as he said Greece has pushed back 9,000 migrants and refugees to Turkey in 2020 alone.
“Security forces of our neighbor, Greece, pierce the boats carrying migrants, causing them to die. We will continue to inform the globe about Greek security forces’ inhumane activities,” Erdoğan said.
Several media reports, including German weekly Der Spiegel and videos published by Turkey, have provided evidence of Frontex guards working with Greek authorities to push migrants
back to Turkish waters. Migrant rights agencies have warned that the arrivals, many of them fleeing conflict, have the right to asylum but are put in danger by the border guards’ aggressive tactics.
Pushbacks are considered contrary to international refugee protection agreements. Under the principle of “non-refoulement,” people should not be expelled or returned to a country where their life and safety are threatened due to their race, religion, nationality, or being members of a social or political group.
98 MIGRANTS RESCUED
The Turkish Coast Guard Command rescued 98 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea who were pushed back by the Greek Coast Guard into Turkish territorial waters.
The statement noted that coast guard teams were dispatched to the area to rescue 53 migrants between Feb. 19-21 off Dikili district in Izmir province from a lifeboat and rubber boats.
In a separate operation, the coast guard rescued 45 irregular migrants in Kuşadası province after being alerted that a group was stranded on the rocks.
The migrants were left on two life rafts by Greek forces and pushed back into Turkish territorial waters.
All of the migrants were referred to the provincial migration office.
Turkey and Greece have been key transit points for asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution. Ankara already hosts nearly 4 million Syrian migrants, more than any other country in the world, and says it cannot handle another wave.
The Turkish coast guard has rescued thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers off the Aegean coast after they were pushed back by Greece into Turkish territorial waters.
Erdoğan also criticized the European Union for failing to fulfill its pledge to provide funding for migrants and refugees in Turkey as part of the 2016 migration pact while allocating billions of euros to Greece.
He said the 6 billion euros ($7.29 billion) promised by March 18 in the refugee deal has still yet to be paid in full.
“The EU granted Greece 3 billion euros of support for 100,000 migrants, but it has made no such move for the 4 million
migrants in Turkey,” the President expressed. In March 2016, Ankara and Brussels signed an agreement to reduce the number of migrants taking the dangerous Aegean Sea route to Europe and to find a solution for the influx of migrants heading to EU countries.
According to the deal, Turkey was promised a total of 6 billion euros ($7.30 billion) in financial aid, which was initially designed to be given to the country in two stages and to be used by the Turkish government to finance projects for Syrian migrants. Visa freedom for Turkish citizens was also a perk of the agreement. In addition, the customs union between Turkey and the EU was to be updated. In exchange for these promises, Turkey took responsibility for discouraging migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of Syrian migrants living in Turkey.
Despite significant developments controlling migration traffic, Turkey has frequently complained that the EU has not fully delivered on its commitments stated in the deal and criticized the international community for its indifference to the migrant crisis.