Europe broke promises on refugees: Turkish lawmaker

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Europe has broken its promises on helping Turkey with the refugee crisis, according to a senior lawmaker of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Monday.

Atay Uslu, a deputy from Antalya province, said the Turkey-EU refugee deal reached in March 2016 aimed to discourage irregular migration to Europe through the Aegean Sea.

The deal included a €6 billion ($6.8 billion) aid package to help Turkey care for millions of refugees hosted in the country.

The EU promised to initially allocate €3 billion ($3.5 billion) in its first tranche for projects to support Syrian refugees.

Uslu said the EU, however, did not keep its promises.

"Unfortunately, we are about coming to the end of 2017, they have just given €800 million [$930 million] until now.

"They have not kept their promises."

Plight of refugees in Europe

Uslu said the Turkey took care of a serious burden for Europe and in return it got criticism from the EU on alleged human rights violations.

"If you are looking for human rights violations, you should see the plight of refugees in Europe," he said.

"The refugees in Greek islands are out in the cold, they have been waiting behind barbed wires in Macedonia."

Uslu also pointed out how Hungary had been using dogs against refugees.

"Germany has confiscated the valuables of refugees and showed every kind of resistance to refugees in an effort to stop them from the country.

"More than 6,000 refugee children have been lost in Germany until now."

Turkey hosts more Syrian refugees than any other country in the world.

Ankara says it has spent more than €20 billion ($24.1 billion) from its own national resources for helping and sheltering refugees since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.