The process of visa exemption for Turkish citizens will start with the signing of readmission agreement on December 16.
Turkish citizens will travel visa-free in the EU in three and half years time with the inking of the readmission agreement between Turkey and EU on December 16, Turkey’s EU Ministry Undersecretary Haluk Ilicak tells AA.
Ilicak said Turkish citizens travelling in the EU visa-free is the most significant gain of the agreement. “The deal will bring a burden for Turkey, however EU will take the major part of this responsibility by means of Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) or similar funds.”
Readmission agreement will not be implemented immediately as it needs a transition period for three years after being approved by the Turkish parliament.
Turkey does not give up any rights with this agreement, Ilicak emphasized and he said, “EU prepared a road map with a country -which is Turkey- for the first time ever, and it shows Turkey’s power.”
Many speculations are circulated about the illegal immigrants using Turkey in their transit travel to the EU, Ilicak stated, and he stressed that there is a high reduction in the number of immigrants passing to the EU through Turkey.
“The number of immigrants crossing to EU from Turkish borders was around seventy seven thousand some years ago, but it decreased to thirty-seven thousand in 2012. The number is to get lower with the aid of the measures we are going to take,” he noted.
“Both we (Turkey) and EU take precautions for illegal immigrants. For example the concrete measures –such as building walls or wire fences– taken at Greek border has reduced the illegal crossing. We are cooperating with EU’s Frontex, an expert at border security, and the measures will be boosted with the setting of electronic security and monitoring systems,” he said.
Stating it was a prestige issue that Turkish citizens need visa to travel EU, although the citizens of the countries such as Belize, Venezuela, or Moldova travel visa-free in the EU, Ilicak said, and “when Turkey implements the agreement, its reputation will definitely boost.”
The readmission agreement envisages the return of the citizens of the non-member countries who travelled to Europe illegally. The agreement will be signed on December 16 and, in parallel, the process of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens will start.
AA
