Refugees via Turkey are avoiding route through Bulgaria (Interior Minister)

Refugees exiting from the territory of Turkey are avoiding the route through Bulgaria, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Rumyana Buchvarova said on June 1.

Turkey, Bulgaria sign readmission protocol

Turkey and Bulgaria on Thursday signed a readmission agreement linked to the EU-Turkey refugee deal that came into force on March 20.

EU Prioritizes Protection of External Borders With Turkey. – German Minister

The protection of external borders with Turkey is a priority for the European Union in solving the ongoing migration crisis, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.

Greece wants EU help sending migrants back to Turkey

Greece wants EU border agency Frontex to help send back to Turkey migrants deemed ineligible for asylum in Europe, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias told reporters on Jan. 23.

EU, Turkey agree to three billion euro aid deal to stem migrant crisis. "This three billion euros is to be spent for refugees in Turkey, it's not for Turkey."

The European Union and Turkey agreed on a deal to stem the migrant crisis, including a three-billion-euro ($3.2-billion) aid package for Syrian refugees in Turkey, said EU president Donald Tusk following a summit in Brussels on Sunday.

Migrant crisis: EU approves Turkey action plan

EU states have approve an action plan for Turkey that it is hoped will ease the flow of migrants to Europe.

Merkel: EU Must Work with Turkey on Migrant Crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Europe must cooperate with Turkey to handle the migrant crisis; Western Europe's biggest influx of asylum-seekers since World War Two.

EU Concessions to Turkey Over Refugees Rekindles Historic Hostilities

Promise from European Council President Donald Tusk that Turkey could win significant concessions from the EU, such as visa-free travel and acceleration of its full membership, is likely to fan the flames of some historic diplomatic and ethnic bonfire.

Greece 'can't discuss' Aegean refugee patrols with Turkey

Greece on Oct. 13 dismissed a suggestion it should set up joint patrols in the Aegean Sea with regional rival Turkey, as Europe struggles to control its worst migrant crisis since World War II.

Μέρκελ: Όποιος δεν έχει ανάγκη για άσυλο πρέπει να εγκαταλείψει τη Γερμανία

Η καγκελλάριος της Γερμανίας Αγκελα Μέρκελ δήλωσε ότι όποιος έχει ανάγκη για προστασία και προσπαθεί να διαφύγει από τον τρόμο, τους διωγμούς και τον πόλεμο, πρέπει να είναι ευπρόσδεκτος στη χώρα.

Turkey, EU agree to migrant action plan (Report)

The European Union and Turkey have agreed in principle to a plan of action to help ease the flow of migrants into the bloc, a German newspaper reported Oct.4.

Βαρβιτσιώτης: Πάνω από 30.000 Σύροι μετανάστες θα προσπαθήσουν να μπουν στην Ελλάδα. Entry into force of the Readmission Agreement between Turkey and the EU

Η χώρα είναι προετοιμασμένη να αντιμετωπίσει τις επιπτώσεις από τις εξελίξεις στη Συρία και τα «κύματα» μεταναστών που θα προσπαθήσουν να εισέλθουν παράνομα στη χώρα μας, μέσω θαλάσσης...

Φόβους ότι ο αριθμός των Σύρων μεταναστών που εισέρχονται στην Ελλάδα θα αυξηθεί πολύ λόγω των γεγονότων στη Συρία, εξέφρασε ο υπουργός Ναυτιλίας, Μιλτιάδης Βαρβιτσιώτης.

Turkish Parliament ratifies Readmission Agreement, paving the way for visa-free EU travel

The Turkish Parliament June 25 ratified the Readmission Agreement between Ankara and Brussels, in a step welcomed by top EU officials.

“One more important step to a visa free regime for Turks travelling to the EU,” EU Enlargement Commission Stefan Füle said via his Twitter account. Turkey signed the long-anticipated agreement with the bloc in December 2013, refreshing hopes for new momentum in stalled bilateral relations between Ankara and Brussels.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson's response to a Turkish statement regarding the non-recognition of the Republic of Cyprus. -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, Wednesday, 25 December 2013

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Foreign Ministry spokesperson Konstantinos Koutras stressed the following with reference to a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry – on the occasion of the signing of the readmission agreement with the European Commission – according to which Turkey does not recognize the existence of the Republic of Cyprus:

“The European Union – which Turkey is trying to join, and with which Turkey signed a readmission agreement a few days ago – has 28 institutionally equal member states, among which is the Republic of Cyprus, which is also a member of the eurozone.

Signing of Bulgaria-Turkey-Greece border co-operation deal postponed after Turkish interior minister’s son arrested.

A scheduled signing in Sofia of an intergovernmental agreement between Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey to build a joint contact centre for police and customs co-operation was postponed until further notice after the Turkish interior minister’s son was arrested in connection with alleged bribery linked to public tenders.

The signing of the agreement was scheduled to have taken place on December 17 2013, a day after Turkey signed a readmission agreement with the European Union – with interior minister Muammer Güler signing on behalf of the government in Ankara.

Turkey and EU sign readmission agreement

Turkey and the EU have signed a readmission agreement on Monday in exchange for launching talks on visa liberalization for Turkish citizens. 
The readmission agreement with the EU necessitates the processing of illegal immigrants who enter the EU through Turkey. In return, talks will be launched on visa liberalization to allow Turkish citizens to travel to EU countries without a visa within three and a half years at the latest. 
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the signing ceremony for the readmission agreement on Monday. 

Turkey to sign visa and readmission agreements with the EU on Monday

Turkey and the EU will hold the first meeting of EU Visa Liberalization Dialogue on Monday.

An agreement protocol on visa liberalization talks and the readmission agreement will also be signed at Ankara Palas on Monday.

The visa liberalization dialogue meeting will be attended by Turkish EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Interior Minister Muammer Guler and EU Commissioner of Interior Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom.

Experts concerned over Turkey, EU deal on illegal immigrants. -Analysts worry the readmission deal may be very costly for Turkey.

Turkish analysts have expressed concern over the government's move to sign a key deal with the European Union (EU) to accept illegal immigrants without strong assurances in advance.

The deal, called readmission agreement, will allow the EU to repatriate the third-country nationals illegally migrating to Europe via Turkey back to Turkey.

In exchange, the EU offers a parallel track of negotiations to lift visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to travel to Europe.