Turkey will not take back refugees already on Greek islands, says Turkish minister

Turkey will not readmit refugees and migrants who are already on Greek islands, Turkish EU minister Volkan Bozkir said on Thursday, the country’s Anadolu news agency reported.

A proposed deal between the EU and Turkey that would see refugees and migrants being taken back by Turkey would not include those already on Greek islands, but those arriving following the deal’s implementation, the Turkish minister clarified on Thursday, adding that the number of refugees and migrants readmitted would be dozens of thousands of people, but not millions.

Bozkir also stated that Turkey would carry out its pledges with regard to lifting visa restrictions for EU member-states by May 1.