Merkel says Turkey deal would thwart migrant smugglers
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that, under a proposed deal with Turkey, migrants who come to Europe illegally will get sent back and have to join the end of the queue to enter Europe.
Merkel told SWR radio Tuesday the Turkish plan was welcomed by all 28 European Union countries in Brussels the previous night.
She says the plan would make it unattractive for migrants to pay people smugglers to take them to Greece.
As part of a broader deal Turkey has offered to take back illegal migrants if an equal number are allowed into the EU legally.
Merkel says that “whoever comes illegally won’t then be among those who can come to Europe, at least not among the first but rather they’ll have to join the end of the queue.”
[AP]
