Published: 19 October 2010
On a visit to Cyprus yesterday (18 October), French Immigration Minister Eric Besson said Turkey must "do better" on immigration by protecting its borders and readmitting illegal migrants, including hundreds of prostitutes working in the northern part of Cyprus.
On a visit to Cyprus yesterday (18 October), French Immigration Minister Eric Besson said Turkey must "do better" on immigration by protecting its borders and readmitting illegal migrants, including hundreds of prostitutes working in the northern part of Cyprus.
"Cyprus requires that Turkey plays a better role in protecting its external borders and in the readmission of irregulars," Besson told AFP during a visit to Cyprus.
"Turkey must do better, especially since it has opened at the same time several chapters in [accession] negotiations with the European Union," he said.
"We need concrete signs from Turkey on the readmission of illegal people," Besson added.
Turkey stands accused of doing too little to combat the thriving sex slave business in the northern part of Cyprus, occupied by Ankara since 1974.
In a June report, the US State Department said nearly 1,000 "hostess" work permits were issued last year in northern Cyprus, which are used mainly by prostitutes. The northern part of the island has 42 nightclubs and the authorities have no procedures in place to identify trafficking victims, the report said.
Sener Elcil, secretary-general of the Turkish Cypriot teachers' union, was quoted by AFP as saying that the police in northern Cyprus "did nothing" to prevent people trafficking, and even colluded with the organisers.
"Turkey is responsible for these activities. The mafia rules the northern part of the island, and police do nothing. Even worse, they're involved, they hold the passports of the girls when they arrive," he said.
Greece appeals for EU help
French daily le Monde writes today that Greece is also reeling from uncontrolled illegal migration flows from Turkey.
"Greece cannot stand the situation any longer […] We appeal on the EU to take its responsibility with regard to our country," the Greek minister for integration, Christos Papoutsis, was quoted as saying on a visit to the River Evros region, to the north-east of the country.
Since the beginning of 2001, the Greek police have intercepted 34,000 people in the area against 9,000 the year before, Le Monde further writes. Among the illegal migrants are Afghans, Pakistanis and Somalis as well as North and Western Africans, who now appear to prefer this itinerary to the more direct route to Spain.
The European Commission said it was in close contact with the Greek authorities. Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, who was in Greece last month, said Athens faced a "gigantic" task in dealing with the illegal immigration challenge.
Frontex, the European agency based in Warsaw which coordinates work in the field of border security, opened an operational office in the Greek city of Pireus on 1 October. This is the agency's first premises outside its Warsaw headquarters.
Ankara reluctant to accept readmission
Turkish nationals are subject to visa requirements to visit the EU. Turkey is urging the bloc to put in place a visa facilitation programme similar to the one which allowed several Western Balkan countries accede to visa free travel in the EU.
However, as a precondition, those countries have signed readmission agreements with the EU, agreeing to admit to their territory illegal migrants who have been able to reach the member countries. Turkey is reluctant to sign such an agreement.
Positions
Asked by EurActiv to comment, Professor Haluk Kabaalioğlu, chairman of the Economic Development Foundation (İKV) and the dean of Yeditepe University’s Law Faculty, said his country had problems with readmission.
"We don't want to say we don't want readmission," Kabaalioğlu said, adding that Turkey would have a problem admitting 'boat people' arriving in Italy who claimed have arrived from Turkey, just because they feared expulsion to Libya.
By dangling false promises, the EU is trying to trick Turkey into signing a readmission agreement in exchange for visa exemptions for Turkish citizens, Recep Korkut, a social worker and a freelance journalist, writes in a column for the daily Zaman.
"This agreement presents Turkey with a major problem: it must decide between visa exemptions and immigrants. There is the perception this has become a new carrot and stick tactic on the part of the EU in its dealings with Turkey, and some serious doubts have arisen about whether or not the EU would really abolish visa restrictions even if Turkey were to accept the agreement," Korkut writes.
"Turkey must do better, especially since it has opened at the same time several chapters in [accession] negotiations with the European Union," he said.
"We need concrete signs from Turkey on the readmission of illegal people," Besson added.
Turkey stands accused of doing too little to combat the thriving sex slave business in the northern part of Cyprus, occupied by Ankara since 1974.
In a June report, the US State Department said nearly 1,000 "hostess" work permits were issued last year in northern Cyprus, which are used mainly by prostitutes. The northern part of the island has 42 nightclubs and the authorities have no procedures in place to identify trafficking victims, the report said.
Sener Elcil, secretary-general of the Turkish Cypriot teachers' union, was quoted by AFP as saying that the police in northern Cyprus "did nothing" to prevent people trafficking, and even colluded with the organisers.
"Turkey is responsible for these activities. The mafia rules the northern part of the island, and police do nothing. Even worse, they're involved, they hold the passports of the girls when they arrive," he said.
Greece appeals for EU help
French daily le Monde writes today that Greece is also reeling from uncontrolled illegal migration flows from Turkey.
"Greece cannot stand the situation any longer […] We appeal on the EU to take its responsibility with regard to our country," the Greek minister for integration, Christos Papoutsis, was quoted as saying on a visit to the River Evros region, to the north-east of the country.
Since the beginning of 2001, the Greek police have intercepted 34,000 people in the area against 9,000 the year before, Le Monde further writes. Among the illegal migrants are Afghans, Pakistanis and Somalis as well as North and Western Africans, who now appear to prefer this itinerary to the more direct route to Spain.
The European Commission said it was in close contact with the Greek authorities. Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, who was in Greece last month, said Athens faced a "gigantic" task in dealing with the illegal immigration challenge.
Frontex, the European agency based in Warsaw which coordinates work in the field of border security, opened an operational office in the Greek city of Pireus on 1 October. This is the agency's first premises outside its Warsaw headquarters.
Ankara reluctant to accept readmission
Turkish nationals are subject to visa requirements to visit the EU. Turkey is urging the bloc to put in place a visa facilitation programme similar to the one which allowed several Western Balkan countries accede to visa free travel in the EU.
However, as a precondition, those countries have signed readmission agreements with the EU, agreeing to admit to their territory illegal migrants who have been able to reach the member countries. Turkey is reluctant to sign such an agreement.
Positions
Asked by EurActiv to comment, Professor Haluk Kabaalioğlu, chairman of the Economic Development Foundation (İKV) and the dean of Yeditepe University’s Law Faculty, said his country had problems with readmission.
"We don't want to say we don't want readmission," Kabaalioğlu said, adding that Turkey would have a problem admitting 'boat people' arriving in Italy who claimed have arrived from Turkey, just because they feared expulsion to Libya.
By dangling false promises, the EU is trying to trick Turkey into signing a readmission agreement in exchange for visa exemptions for Turkish citizens, Recep Korkut, a social worker and a freelance journalist, writes in a column for the daily Zaman.
"This agreement presents Turkey with a major problem: it must decide between visa exemptions and immigrants. There is the perception this has become a new carrot and stick tactic on the part of the EU in its dealings with Turkey, and some serious doubts have arisen about whether or not the EU would really abolish visa restrictions even if Turkey were to accept the agreement," Korkut writes.
Background
Last year, former EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot described illegal immigration via Turkey as "a risk to Greek democracy" and called on Ankara to do more to combat people traffickers.
Barrot also accused Turkey of turning a blind eye to trafficking of illegal migrants to Greece.
Ankara says the migrants come from countries such as Iraq and Pakistan and it should not have to handle those crossing Turkey to reach the wealthy EU.
Last year, former EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot described illegal immigration via Turkey as "a risk to Greek democracy" and called on Ankara to do more to combat people traffickers.
Barrot also accused Turkey of turning a blind eye to trafficking of illegal migrants to Greece.
Ankara says the migrants come from countries such as Iraq and Pakistan and it should not have to handle those crossing Turkey to reach the wealthy EU.
euractiv
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