Auditors say rights concerns and costs are undermining Turkey-EU migrant deal | World News

The European Union’s migration deal with Turkey is facing challenges due to concerns over human rights violations and economic factors, according to EU auditors. The deal, which was established in 2016, involved Turkey agreeing to take back migrants who had crossed into Europe from its territory in exchange for EU aid to support millions of refugees in Turkey.

However, the auditors raised issues regarding the ability of non-governmental organizations to operate projects as outlined in the deal, citing Turkey’s authoritarian turn since a failed coup in 2016 and its crackdown on dissent. They also highlighted the difficulty of managing EU aid in the context of Turkey’s economic downturn and its regression on the rule of law and fundamental rights.

Bettina Jakobsen, who led the ECA report, emphasized the need for improvements in demonstrating impact, ensuring sustainability, and value for money within the EU aid facility. Rights groups and politicians have criticized the EU for neglecting human rights in its efforts to curb illegal migration, with some calling for a focus on issues such as human rights violations.

EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has initiated an inquiry into human rights guarantees under the bloc’s new migration deal with Tunisia. The report underscores the challenges and complexities of the EU’s migration agreements with various countries and the importance of upholding human rights standards in such deals.