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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the European Union (EU) has not been “sincere” over an aid deal with Turkey to contain the influx of refugees from Syria.
There has been concern about the EU-Turkey deal, clinched in March, since Turkey was thrown into turmoil by a coup attempt on July15.
“The European leaders are not sincere,” Mr. Erdogan complained in an interview with German ARD television.
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Of the €3bn (£2.5bn) pledged, the EU has paid a token €1m-€2m, he said.
Turkey is hosting about 2.7 million Syrian refugees and Mr. Erdogan said the cost to Turkey so far had been nearly $12bn (€11bn; £9bn).
“Turkey stands by its commitment with regard to refugees,” Mr. Erdogan said.
Before the March deal, Greece was overwhelmed by the challenge of housing migrants and refugees arriving by boat from Turkey.
But since the deal was struck, the numbers crossing the Aegean from Turkey to Greece have dropped dramatically.
Turkey is taking back Syrians and other migrants intercepted off the Greek islands.
Under the deal, the EU also pledged visa-free travel for Turks to the Schengen zone – the free movement area covering most of Europe – and a new impetus in Turkey’s EU membership negotiations.
“We are sticking to our promise. But have the Europeans kept their promise?” Mr. Erdogan asked, referring to the visa-free travel agreement.
In Moscow, there was progress towards improving Russian-Turkish ties yesterday, after months of bitter tension over the Syrian conflict.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Arkady Dvorkovich and his Turkish counterpart, Mehmet Simsek, discussed resuming economic ties, especially an easing of Russian trade sanctions.
