Turkey submits documents to EU seeking visa-free regime

By Tugrul Cam

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey on Wednesday submitted to EU authorities a draft document for Turkish citizens to travel to Schengen countries visa-free, according to diplomatic sources.

Faruk Kaymakci, Turkey’s ambassador to the EU, handed over the draft documents to European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans in Strasbourg, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Kaymakci reportedly said during the meeting that the EU Commission should support Turkey in order to make progress on the issue.

Kaymakci went on to say that Turkey would start working on the points laid out in the document.

Earlier on Wednesday, Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik said Ankara had finalized these draft documents and would be submitting them soon.

Under a EU-Turkey readmission agreement signed in March 2016, Ankara is supposed to readmit all irregular asylum-seekers who reach Greek islands from Turkey.

Visa liberalization for Turkish citizens traveling to Schengen zone countries is one of the key EU pledges made under the deal.