STRASBOURG, September 12. /TASS/. Turkey should not expect the European Union to cancel the visa regime soon, a source in a key faction of the European Parliament told TASS on Monday on the sidelines of a plenary session.
"Turkey’s expectations of visa liberalization by October are unrealistic. Ankara should not expect visa cancelation soon," the source said.
The European Union and Turkey reached a deal in mid-March to settle the migration crisis in Europe. Brussels promised to Ankara a sum of six billion euro, visa cancelation and a new chapter in talks on Turkey’s membership bid in exchange for Turkey’s efforts to contain refugee flows to Europe.
Under the deal, starting from April 4, all illegal migrant reaching Greek islands from Turkey’s territory are sent back to Turkey. The European Union receives refugees checked by the Turkish migration service who have a package of documents confirming their legal status. Illegal migrants are exchanged for refuges enjoying a legal status in the one-for-one format.