Second wave of deported migrants arrive in Turkey under EU pact

A second group of migrants has been sent back to Turkey from Greece as part of a controversial deal to curb the flow of refugees and migrants into Europe. The 45 migrants from Pakistan left on a ferry left the Greek island of Lesbos on Friday to transfer them to the Turkish port of Dikili. Before the boat left the island, four activists jumped into the sea to try to obstruct the operation — swimming to the front of the ferry and grabbing the anchor chain — and were detained by the coast guard. Meanwhile, another vessel was heading to Lesbos carrying 95 migrants and refugees destined for Turkey.

A set-up that is so flawed, rushed and ill-prepared is ripe for mistakes, trampling the rights and well-being of some of the most vulnerable people.

Amnesty International director Gauri van Gulik hits out at conditions for refugees on Lesbos

Under the EU-Turkey deal, Ankara will take back all migrants and refugees, including Syrians, who enter Greece through irregular routes. In return, the EU will take thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with more money, early visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations. The first group of 202 migrants, most from Pakistan and Afghanistan, were sent back to Turkey on Monday. German chancellor Angela Merkel defended the deal on Friday, saying she was “firmly convinced that making clear we are pitting ourselves against illegal migration is right”.

The worst reading of the EU-Turkey deal would be to imagine that Turkey is about to get a ‘discount’ on EU membership conditions just because of the refugees

Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe

Europe