Berlin Says Visa-Free Regime With Turkey by Oct. Unlikely

© AP Photo / Burhan OzbilicA Turkish guard of honor hold a EU and a Turkish flag (File)
A Turkish guard of honor hold a EU and a Turkish flag (File) - Sputnik International
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The German government doubts that the proposed liberalization of the visa regime with Turkey can be achieved by October due to "technical reasons," the authorities said in a written reply to Germany’s Left Party on Friday.

Syrian migrants and refugees gather at a makeshift migrant detention center at Kos' abandoned football stadium after crossing from Turkey, at the southeastern island of Kos, Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. - Sputnik International
EU on Collision Course With Turkey Over Visa-Migrant 'Blackmail'
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the reply cited by the Bild newspaper, the Turkish authorities will not be able to issue biometric passports to its citizens, a requirement stipulated by Brussels, by that time.

The set of criteria established by the European Commission for abolishing visa requirements for Turkish citizens specifies that only holders of a biometric passport will be allowed to travel to the European Union's borderless Schengen area.

In March, the European Union and Turkey agreed on a deal, under which Ankara pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the European Union through its territory, in exchange Syrian refugees accommodated in Turkey on a one-for-one basis. In return, the bloc pledged to accelerate Turkey's EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime for its citizens.

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