On the occasion of the ongoing European meeting of EU heads of state and government with Turkey, Monica Frassoni and Reinhard Bütikofer, co-chairs of the European Green Party, released a statement.
Reinhard Bütikofer said:
“The Greens cannot accept a deal which does not include a serious relocation mechanism of refugees among the EU countries. Time has come for the EU to deliver on and to expand the decisions it took in the last few months. We need a comprehensive, stable and common approach to the migration crisis: the EU cannot think to ‘outsource’ its management to Turkey”.
Monica Frassoni added:
“There is no doubt that an economic support from the EU to Turkey is needed. However, an agreement to withhold or take back refugees cannot be used as a “currency of exchange” for allowing Turkey to do whatever it wants. Instead of trying to obtain its leverage with this humanitarian emergency, Turkey could start with restoring peace and respect of human rights and press freedom inside of its borders, if it wants its candidacy to the EU membership to actually advance”.
