EU leaders sought to step up the implementation of the EU-Turkey Action Plan, which would help to control one of the largest migration routes. EU leaders once again met with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to discuss the conditions for implementing the agreement. After the meeting, a joint statement was made on undertaking specific obligations to stem the flows of irregular migration to Europe.
Irregular migrants arriving from Turkey on the Greek islands from 20 March will be returned back and only Syrian war refugees will be resettled from Turkey to the EU. Lithuania sought to ensure that this agreement did not increase the earlier agreed number of refugees being resettled to EU member states. This requirement was taken into account – the program will be reviewed or cancelled if these numbers are exceeded.
This agreement also speeds up the process of providing EU financial assistance to Turkey, which will help Turkey tackle the migration crisis.The European Union is finally moving from the agreements on the fight against irregular migration that are on paper and passive relocation of refugees to more realistic actions to prevent the migration crisis. The closure of the Turkish route is very important; however, it is still a partial solution, one of many that we still need to implement," the President said.
According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, it is vital to ensure the protection of all the EU's external borders in order to manage the migration crisis. With the reduction of flows through Turkey and Greece, it is necessary to prevent the emergence of new alternative routes of irregular migration, which requires a more active exchange of intelligence among EU countries and fighting people smuggling.
"We must send a very clear message – the EU's borders will be carefully guarded and economic migrants coming as war refugees will not be allowed to enter – Europe is closing down for them," – the President said.
Dalia Grybauskaitė points out that it would be much more effective to provide more assistance to refugees through international organizations outside the EU, closer to their homes and places of residence.
