"Obviously we cannot and must not make any discounts or concessions to Turkey in this matter. All the criteria must be met, otherwise no visa-free regime should be granted to Turkey," Chrysogonos, a member of both the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, said.
Some parliamentarians have criticized the EU leadership for leaving the European Parliament outside the talks with Ankara on a visa-waiver program.
"The EU leaders faced a critical situation when they were negotiating with Turkey three months ago and they had to act speedily. However, the European Parliament must give its approval before any changes in the existing visa-regime take place," Chrysogonos said.
On Tuesday, Ankara and Brussels postponed a high-level meeting scheduled for May 13 to discuss the issue of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens visiting the Schengen area.
In mid-March, the European Union and Ankara agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the European Union through its territory in exchange for legal Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey, on a one-for-one basis. In return, the 28-member bloc pledged to accelerate the Turkish EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and the Schengen area.
