Human trafficking to be regarded as terror crime: Turkish Deputy PM

“It has been principally decided to enact legal measures against human trafficking so that it is regarded a terror crime,” Kurtulmuş told reporters after a cabinet meeting, adding that legal provisions would also be passed to confiscate equipment used in human trafficking while increasing the sentence for the crimes.

Kurtulmuş also said a border security draft was ready at the Prime Ministry and that the regulations for the coordination of border management had been signed.

Ankara will never bargain over refugees, Kurtulmuş said following German media reports that Turkey asked for 5 billion euros ($5.45 billion) to tackle the refugee crisis.

 “Turkey has not opened its doors to the Syrian refugees who were fleeing the savagery in Syria… in the calculation of receiving any aid from anyone,” Kurtulmuş said.

He reiterated that Turkey had spent more than $8 billion on hosting Syrian refugees. “We will never bargain on refugees with the EU or anybody else.”      

German media reports on the weekend said Turkey was asking for 5 billion euros to cope with Syrian refugees instead of the 3 billion euros agreed earlier with the EU.      

Deutsche Welle, Germany’s state-run broadcaster, cited newspaper Die Welt as quoting a high-ranking EU diplomat as saying: “Ankara now wants 5 billion euros but we are prepared only to give the promised 3 billion euros.”      

The financial package to support Turkey in hosting 2.5 million refugees and to stem the flow of migrants to the EU was agreed in November 2015 but has been blocked by Italy. The deal is strongly supported by Germany.