The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a scathing rebuke of the European Union over its support for Greece during the border – migration crisis.
In its statement, the EU Foreign Affairs Council among other things, reiterated its support for Greece and its ‘serious concern over the situation at the Greek-Turkish border and strongly rejects Turkey's use of migratory pressure for political purposes’. It also goes on to say that the EU reiterates its full solidarity with Greece, which faces an unprecedented situation, as well as with Bulgaria, Cyprus and other Member States, which might be similarly affected, including in efforts to manage the EU's external borders.
In response the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that "the Statement adopted by the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting held today (6 March), confirms that the EU has still not been able to comprehend the extraordinary burden stemming from migration and security challenges that Turkey has been encountering, as well as the efforts we have made."
"Accusing a country, which is hosting the largest number of refugees in the world in the best way possible, of using the migration issue for political purposes is a recent indication of the hypocritical approach we have been facing for years. The EU actually has itself politicised the migration issue by this Statement."
"It is unfortunate and noteworthy that the EU is acting in contradiction with its own principles and values, by backing up Greece, who is violating international law and human rights, and deeming all sorts of maltreatment acceptable for innocent people reaching at their borders."
"The EU Foreign Affairs Council even refrains from describing people, arriving at EU borders as other safe countries, and demanding international protection, as 'refugees' but instead insistently uses the term 'immigrant' for these individuals. It is not possible to ignore the 1951 Geneva Convention and the EU acquis by playing with words."
"EU members, including Greece, have an obligation to comply with international obligations and take asylum applications of migrants/refugees. Yet, Greece, backed by the EU, has declared the suspension of the asylum applications ignoring the international as well as the relevant EU law. The EU, with its last Statement, has put European values aside and turned a blind eye to the violation of international law and the EU acquis."
"Greece’s unlawful treatments towards refugees have also been announced by several international and non-governmental organisations, including the UN and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. We do call on the EU and the EU institutions to respect the European common values and to comply with the Founding Treaty of the EU and the EU acquis.”