Ankara - Turkey may suspend the agreement on migration concluded with the European Union, if the bloc fails to proceed with the visa-free regime, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
“The first step toward the abolition of the visa regime has to be taken on June 30. Colleagues will continue negotiations. But if the decision is not taken, the agreement on the readmission of refugees will not be adopted in the [Turkish] parliament,” Erdogan told reporters.
The president added that the European Union had unreasonable demands for Turkey's compliance with the criteria for the visa-free regime.
In March, Brussels and Ankara agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the European Union through its territory in exchange for Syrian refugees accommodated in Turkey, on a one-for-one basis. In return, the 28-member bloc pledged to accelerate the Turkish EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and the Schengen Area.
Turkey is yet to meet five out of the 72 total requirements, notably those related to data protection and anti-terrorism laws, among other issues.
On Friday, Erdogan said he “would not be upset” if the European Union did not ease the visa regime.
Sputnik