President Erdoğan: We stand ready for cooperation during this delicate process which concerns entire Europe
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov of Bulgaria held a joint press conference following their meeting and a working dinner at the Presidential Complex.
“1.5 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THEIR HOMES IN IDLIB AND REACHED TURKEY’S BORDERS”
Stating that the developments in Idlib have been on top of their agenda, President Erdoğan, saying that possible steps for putting an end to the regime’s attacks on Idlib have also been discussed during the talks, stressed that 1.5 million people have left their homes in Idlib and reached Turkey’s borders. The President noted: “The EU-member countries and the entire world have yet to comprehend the situation in Turkey, which has for 9 years hosted over 4 million refugees.”
“OUR EXPECTATIONS ABOUT FAIR SHARING OF BURDEN REMAIN UNMET”
Pointing to the agreement reached between Turkey and the European Union on March 18, 2016, President Erdoğan said that Turkey has thus far fulfilled its commitments stemming from that agreement, and added: “Our expectations about the fair sharing of burden and responsibilities, on the other hand, remain unmet. The European Union has not exactly fulfilled the requirements of the March 18 agreement. The EU applies double standards today as well. Leading EU countries still have such double standards that regarding the refugees, currently moving towards borders, they say Turkey is making a mistake.”
“WE STAND READY FOR COOPERATION DURING THIS DELICATE PROCESS WHICH CONCERNS ENTIRE EUROPE”
Recalling that Turkey hosts the greatest number of refugees in the world, President Erdoğan went on to say: “Refugees are free to leave the country they currently stay in and to choose where to go. It is not a local law. According to the international law, it is impossible to hold these people by force in a country. These people are leaving our country of their own accord. All countries, including Greece, must comply with their international obligations, examine the applications of migrants and refugees that have arrived in their borders, regardless of their nationalities, and provide the necessary protection. As a matter of fact, the Greek police have today killed two refugees, seriously wounding another. President of the European Council Charles Michel said that he would visit the Turkey-Greece border tomorrow. I suppose he will witness the inhumane treatment refugees are faced with on the Greece border.”
Drawing attention to what he called a perfect security cooperation and solidarity between Turkey and Bulgaria, President Erdoğan said this cooperation and solidarity should set an example for all the EU-member countries, and that Turkey stands ready for cooperation during this delicate process, which he said concerns entire Europe, of which Turkey is also a part.
