Minister for EU Affairs Ömer Çelik evaluated the statements prior to the European Council by European politicians regarding the Regional Disembarkation Platforms to be established in Africa

Minister for European Union (EU) Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik, in the statement he made over Twitter, warned African leaders about the statements made by European politician prior to the European Council regarding the “regional disembarkation platforms” to be established in order to resolve the refugee issue.

In response to statement by Dutch president Mark Rutte on an agreement with African countries similar to the deal with Türkiye in order to control mass arrivals of refugees, Minister for EU Affairs Ömer Çelik said: “I would like to caution our African friends regarding Rutte’s proposal. It would be useful to speak with us first before an agreement. We can tell you how the EU refuses to fulfil its commitments to the EU-Türkiye Statement of 18 March on the basis of cosmetic excuses.”

Minister for EU Affairs Ömer Çelik indicated that African officials would be invited to frequently held high-level meetings conducive to cooperation with EU representatives and EU Member States until an agreement was achieved and said: “Serious commitments will be made and there will be lengthy statements on the importance of working together.”

Minister Ömer Çelik pointed out that this stance would continue until the flow of migration was under control and said: “They will see that once the flow of migration is under control, commitments will no longer be fulfilled. They will encounter cosmetic excuses and lies on why the commitments are not fulfilled.”

Minister for EU Affairs Ömer Çelik pointed that it would first be the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to express such ‘lies and excuses’ and said: “This will be followed by countries in which the far right is in power or the second party. Then, the EU officials will say ‘we cannot reach a consensus, we are very sorry.’”

Minister for EU Affairs Ömer Çelik, who indicated that the statement by the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker that Brussels could not decide on the behalf of North African countries and that this would send the wrong message as a form of ‘colonialism’ was indeed true, said: “However, President Juncker should address these remarks to the correct recipients. Otherwise they won’t make any sense. These remarks should be addressed to the mentality which deals with the migration issue by erecting walls instead of building bridges.”

Minister for EU Affairs Ömer Çelik who underlined that it would be a good start if  Juncker were to address these remarks to Kurz, who is hostile to migration, said: “The EU should address its remarks to the correct recipients. The problem is not in the garden of the house, but in the kitchen. The ones in the kitchen are working to turn the EU into a Weimar Republic. Anti-migration is just a pretext for these racists.”

Dutch Prime Minister Rutte had said at the European Council: ““We should put the refugee flow under control. For this reason, deals can be made with African countries similar to the migration agreement with Türkiye.”

PM Rutte, who underlined that it was necessary to intervene in the flow of illegal migrants before the numbers increased too much, said that they were not prepared for a new refugee crisis.