BRUSSELS
A senior EU figure has said the issue of Greek islands struggling to cope with a huge influx of migrants arriving via Turkey could not be addressed until “domestic political developments” are resolved in Ankara.
European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos told reporters in Brussels on Friday: "Turkey is crossing a turbulent political zone right now… We are waiting to see the outcome of the domestic political developments in order to go there and address this issue with the competent Turkish authorities."
Avramopoulos’ comments come one week before the deadline for forming a coalition government in Turkey expires, prompting early elections.
The Greek island of Kos is struggling to cope with the arrival of about 7,000 migrants this summer, many of whom have landed by boat from Bodrum on the nearby Turkish coast.
"According to the information I have in my hands, the Turkish authorities, especially the coast guard of Turkey, is cooperating very effectively with the Greek coast guard," Avramopoulos said.
"The problem has to do with what is happening within [Turkey] because unfortunately all these flows are coming on the shores of the Aegean Sea, which means the Turkish authorities must do something in order to intercept these flows towards the Aegean coast," Avramopoulos said.
A readmission process between the EU and Turkey, entered into on October 1, 2014, makes it possible to return undocumented migrants who enter Europe via Turkey and vice versa.
Full implementation of the readmission agreement is also required in order to implement a visa-liberation process for Turkey.
