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European Parliament to vote against visa-free regime for Turkey – source

Türkiye Materials 22 July 2016 20:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22

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The European Parliament is expected to vote against granting a visa-free regime to Turkey in September due to the reaction of the country’s authorities to the military coup attempt, a source in the European Parliament told RIA Novosti July 22.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them.
However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. More than 200 people have been killed as a result of the coup attempt.

“The European Parliament will likely vote against granting a visa-free regime to Turkey,” said the source.

Dimitris Avramopoulos, European commissioner for migration, home affairs, and citizenship, said earlier that Turkey still should fulfill five conditions necessary for the EU to abolish the visa regime for short trips of its citizens to the Schengen countries.

To cancel visas Turkey must fulfill 72 conditions for visa liberalization.

The European Commission proposed the European Parliament and the EU Council to lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens in May if Ankara fulfills the remaining conditions for the visa abolition until the end of June.

Among them were the measures to prevent corruption, hold negotiations on an operating agreement with the European Police Office (Europol), judicial cooperation with all EU member-states, and the revision of legislation on the fight against terrorism.

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