Turkiye plans to change its migration policy, making it more difficult to obtain Turkish citizenship for refugees, especially Syrian, as diplomatic sources name asylum seekers as one of the most important aspects of the visa problem, the report read.
"There are people who get Turkish citizenship and go to Europe. The European Union also has a lot to do. It is not something that cannot be done provided that Turkiye defends its borders well, ensures that migrants are kept out of the EU and makes progress," a source was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
On July 17, the Turkish Interior Ministry said that nearly five million migrants were living in the country and that 1,169 districts had banned registration of foreigners. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier in the month that the citizens of Turkiye would soon feel the changes occurring as a result of the operations against illegal migrants.
In May, the Turkish government passed amendments to the citizenship law, providing new rules for the application process. Now, Turkish citizenship can be obtained if an applicant purchases property in the country worth at least $400,000 or has a deposit of the same amount in a Turkish bank. In addition, applicants are required not to sell the property or withdraw the deposit for at least three years.
In early 2016, Turkiye and the EU signed a refugee deal, which was to accelerate the accession process and allow for visa-free travel between Turkiye and the bloc. But negotiations have been stalling since 2016 after the EU accused Ankara of human rights violations and non-observance of the rule of law in the country.