Turkey ‘must meet conditions’ for visa-free travel, says Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted that Turkey must fulfill all 72 preconditions before the European Union grants visa-free travel to its citizens.
“These 72 conditions have not yet been met, and of course we will insist that agreements are honored by our side and Turkey,” Merkel told private TV network RTL.
Turkey has warned it will stop implementing a deal agreed in March with Brussels to stem the flow of migrants through the neighboring country into Greece unless its citizens are granted visa-free travel into Europe by October the latest.
Failure of the deal’s implementation would create further pressure on Greece, which has borne the brunt of the crisis as it serves as a gateway into Europe.
