75 million Turks on course for visa-free travel in EU, despite not meeting key targets in refugee swap deal

Turkey is on course to be handed visa-free travel to the European Union for its 75 million citizens, despite not meeting a series of key targets, The Telegraph reported .

On Wednesday the European Commission is expected to recommended a radical loosening of travel conditions for the country.

The giveaway is part of a €6bn aid-for-deportations migration deal struck with Ankara, which has resulted in a steep fall in the number of refugees attempting to cross into Europe.

Turkey has warned that if it is not given the visa waiver - which will grant automatic access to the Schengen zone for tourists for up to 90 days - then it will “terminate” the migration deal.

But EU sources admit that Turkey has only met around 60 of the 72 “benchmarks” it has set to unlock the visa-free travel rights.

It includes the universal introduction of tamper-proof biometric passports, without which Turks will not be able to use the scheme. 

Reforms to terrorism laws, data protection measures and an anti-corruption drive also have not been delivered.
European officials are now scrambling to sign off as many clauses as possible before the Wednesday deadline to make the recommendation. It was reported that Turkey chartered a private jet to lodge signed paperwork with the Strasbourg Council of Europe.

The proposal will then be presented to MEPs and national leaders at a summit on June 28, five days after 
The policy does not grant any extra travel rights to the UK, which lies outside of the Schengen zone.

Source: MENA