Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 31
By Orkhan Guluzade – Trend:
Turkey expects the abolition of visas for its citizens by the EU until October 2016, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with Greek Kathimerini newspaper.
Turkey expects the EU to keep the promise of abolishing visas for Turkish citizens and to render financial aid to Syrian refugees, according to the minister.
Turkey alone won’t be able to stop the flow of refugees to Europe if the EU fails to fulfill its commitments, said Cavusoglu.
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.
Turkey cancelled the visa regime for the citizens of all the 28 EU countries on May 3, but the visa-free travel will be possible after the EU cancels the visa regime for Turkish citizens.
After cancellation of the visa regime, Turkish citizens will be able to stay without a visa for three months in Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece.
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