EU-Turkey discord continues over aid to Syrians: “We do not regard any financial aid as legitimate unless the EU deposits the amount in a bank account"

Disagreement between Turkey and the European Union continues over the bloc’s pledge to assist Syrian refugees, as a member of the Turkish cabinet has said Ankara was yet to receive any financial support, contrary to claims that the EU has sent 2 billion euros.

Talking to the press during his meetings in Lisbon, Turkey’s EU minister and chief negotiator with the bloc, Ömer Çelik, indicated they had not received any financial support from the EU as part of the refugee deal.

“Many countries have been resorting to fortifying their borders with barbed wire fences or armed guards to prevent migrants’ crossing, while Turkey embraced 3 million refugees purely for humanitarian reasons and has spent about $25 billion since then,” said Çelik.

Çelik expressed his concern about the channeling of funds transferred to UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations by the EU. “We do not regard any financial aid as legitimate unless the EU deposits the amount in a bank account belonging to the Health Ministry or AFAD [the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority].”...
 [hurriyetdailynews.com]
9/9/16
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