EU-Turkey Agreement: the concern of the “Œuvre d’Orient”
“This is a historic day,” Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu did not hide his pleasure after the agreement reached, on Friday, March 18, 2016, with the European Union to slow the influx of migrants.
An enthusiasm not shared by all and especially by many NGOs who cry foul. All illegal migrants in Greece will be returned to Turkey after this Sunday. Each Syrian returned another will be relocated in a European country.
In exchange for measures to prevent departures from its coasts to Europe, Ankara received additional 3 billion euros of EU aid. Moreover, Europeans have agreed to accelerate the process of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens, and commit to open a new chapter in Turkey’s accession negotiations to the EU. Mgr Pascal Gollnisch, director of the the Œuvre d’Orient expressed his reluctance.
(in french)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of the Holy See, visiting Macedonia, visited a refugee camp in Gevgelija, on the border with Greece. He could hear the heartbreaking story of migrants and their application to reopen the borders. The cardinal reiterated his call for an agreement that emphasizes humanitarian law. “Europe can do because it has always stood, since the end of World War II, for his humanitarian spirit and respect for humanitarian law,” he said.
Translate from the french.
Read the full article in french on Vatican radio website
Related Articles
Why more money alone won’t improve crisis response
05/18/2016. On priority reforms at the World Humanitarian Summit
Nepalese earthquake: 6 months on, unrest and approaching winter worsen the situation
10/20/2015. In the six months following the earthquake, Malteser International was able to provide aid to 70,000 people. More than 10,000 families – around 62,000 people – were provided with staple foodstuffs, hygiene articles, tarpaulins, and toolkits, as well as given help to clear the rubble from their homes and villages.
Ten humanitarian stories to look out for in 2017
01/02/2017. While 2016 taught us to expect the unexpected, IRIN’s eyes and ears on the ground have given us an idea of what to look out for in the new year.
