{"id":203692,"date":"2016-04-02T10:21:37","date_gmt":"2016-04-02T10:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=203692"},"modified":"2016-04-02T10:21:37","modified_gmt":"2016-04-02T10:21:37","slug":"migrant-crisis-concern-rises-eu-turkey-deal-looms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/04\/migrant-crisis-concern-rises-eu-turkey-deal-looms\/","title":{"rendered":"Migrant crisis: Concern rises as EU-Turkey deal looms"},"content":{"rendered":"
There is growing concern over a lack of preparation for the plan to send migrants back from Greece to Turkey, two days before it goes into effect.<\/p>\n
A BBC correspondent who has been to one of the registration sites in Turkey says there are few signs it is ready.<\/p>\n
The UN and rights groups have expressed fears about migrant welfare and whether some may be forced back into Syria.<\/p>\n
The EU-Turkey deal is aimed at easing the uncontrolled mass movement of people into Europe.<\/p>\n
Under the deal, migrants arriving illegally in Greece are expected to be sent back to Turkey from 4 April if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.<\/p>\n
An EU official said it was hoped that several hundred would be returned on Monday.<\/p>\n
For each Syrian returned, a Syrian migrant in Turkey will be resettled in the EU, with priority given to those who have not tried to enter the EU illegally.<\/p>\n
Germany said on Friday it would take the first migrants.<\/p>\n
Interior ministry spokesman Tobias Plate said that most would be families with children, with the numbers in the “double-digit range”.<\/p>\n
Last year, more than one million migrants and refugees arrived in the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands have been stranded in Greece after northern countries closed their borders.<\/p>\n