The EU’s migration crisis: an offer for Turkey

In recent weeks, cooperation with Turkey has been gaining strategic importance for the European Union and its member states in solving the migration crisis, as it is a key transit country into the EU for refugees from the Middle East. As a result of intensive discussions, a framework plan has been developed by the EU to give Turkey financial and political support in order to halt or reduce the influx of refugees. Europe’s determination to cooperate with Ankara has been confirmed by the surprise visit of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Turkey in the final period of that country’s turbulent election campaign. However, the chances for a quick and effective implementation of the EU plan, by which Turkey will reduce the pressure on the EU from the mass migration, are currently low. The EU’s proposal has undoubtedly bolstered Turkey’s international position, including by showing how much the EU depends on Ankara’s policy, and it has also clearly strengthened Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on the eve of the elections.