Turkey wants concrete date for EU visa liberalization

By The Associated Press

Posted Jan 14, 2017 11:55:39 AM.

Last Updated Jan 14, 2017 12:40:33 PM.

This article is more than 5 years old.

ISTANBUL – Turkey’s foreign minister says a final proposal has been prepared regarding visa-free travel in Europe for Turkish citizens, an issue that has led to major tensions between Ankara and Brussels.

Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday that Turkey would be submitting the proposal in the coming days. He says “we’re going to demand from the European Union that this matter be bound to a concrete calendar.”

Turkey and the EU reached a deal in March to curb migration to Europe in return for incentives that included visa liberalization for Turks. However the issue hit a hurdle over Turkey’s reluctance to change its counterterrorism laws.

Cavusoglu reiterated “we will not do anything to the laws on terrorism,” but added there were no problems regarding other EU demands.

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