Greece sends 70 migrants back to Turkey

EDIRNE - Doğan News Agency

REUTERS photo

Greece sent around 70 Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian migrants who illegally entered the country back to Turkey on March 1. 

The refugees were among 300 people caught seeking to illegally enter the European Union via Greece, and were handed over to Turkish officials at the İpsala customs gate after their registrations were finalized. The migrants were then transported to the Edirne Migration Directorate in buses.

Greece sent the migrants to Turkey on the basis of the Readmission Agreement signed between Turkey and Greece in 2001.

Under the Joint Action Plan that was activated at an EU-Turkey summit on Nov. 29, 2015, the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement is expected to enter into force for third country nationals as of June 1, 2016. 

Commitment to improve implementation of the Turkey–Greece Readmission Agreement was also included as a clause in the Joint Action Plan, which aims to step up cooperation between Turkey and the EU for the support of Syrian refugees under temporary protection and their host communities in Turkey, while also strengthening cooperation to prevent irregular migration flows to the EU.