Outgoing EU Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger (CDU) has called for cuts in European payments to Turkey under the Refugee Agreement. "I think that the EU should not make as high a payment as in the next installment to Turkey," he told the "Welt am Sonntag".
Many refugees were to be relocated to a protection zone in Syria according to the plans of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In addition, the financial need is lower because many schools, hospitals and accommodation have been built with previous funds. "In addition, we must support other countries such as Jordan or Lebanon more strongly than before," said Oettinger.
Nevertheless, the CDU politician was basically in favor of continuing to provide billions in aid to Turkey, so that the country can look after the Syrian refugees living there.
"Debate to begin at the end of the year"
"If we want Ankara to continue to provide the refugees with a home base, we will have to pay billions in the coming years," the CDU politician is quoted in the newspaper. There is room for maneuver in the EU budget for 2020, but also in long-term financial planning. "We have to start the debate by the end of the year at the latest", Oettinger demanded.
The controversial agreement between Turkey and the EU a good three years ago aims to restrict the immigration of mostly Syrian refugees via Turkey to Europe. According to the figures, since 2016, the EU has given disbursements and pledges totaling six billion euros to aid organizations for refugees in Turkey by the end of this year.
On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again threatened that Turkey would open the doors to Europe for millions of Syrian and other refugees in the country should it not get help for its plans for the buffer zone in northern Syria and the settlement of refugees. For this Turkey had repeatedly advertised to German politicians.
