EU Auditors Criticize Turkey's Human Rights Record and Economic Issues, Hindering Migration Deal

The European Court of Auditors has criticized Turkey's human rights record and economic issues, stating that they hinder the effectiveness of the EU-Turkey migration deal. The auditors found that the European Commission failed to fully assess the costs or results of supporting refugees in Turkey. "The Commission improved the way the Facility works, but failed to systematically assess whether project costs were reasonable, which puts their efficiency at risk," the report said.

The auditors sought information from Turkey's education ministry on the impact of EU-funded education projects for refugees, but the ministry declined to provide the data. While the auditors were able to visit some schools and hospitals that benefit from EU funds and found that the facilities were being used by refugees and Turkish pupils, they noted weaknesses in the European Commission's assessment of project budgets and its failure to systematically compare costs between different projects.

The report highlights concerns over Turkey's treatment of journalists, activists, and political opponents, as well as the nation's economic instability. These issues have undermined the implementation of the 2016 EU-Turkey deal, which aimed to curb the flow of migrants and refugees into Europe. The auditors also raised concerns about the ability of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to operate projects in Turkey due to the country's authoritarian turn and crackdown on dissent since the failed coup in 2016.

Why this matters: The EU-Turkey migration deal has been a critical agreement in managing the influx of refugees into Europe. The auditors' findings raise questions about the effectiveness and sustainability of the EU's financial assistance to Turkey, as well as the impact of Turkey's human rights violations and economic problems on the deal's implementation.

Overall, the auditors found that while the EU funding package provided relevant support to refugees and host communities in Turkey, the lack of data and transparency from Turkish authorities hindered their ability to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the EU-Turkey migration deal. The report emphasizes the need for more effective monitoring and evaluation of the EU's financial assistance to Turkey to ensure that the funds are being used as intended and having the desired impact.

Key Takeaways

• EU auditors criticize Turkey's human rights, economic issues hindering EU-Turkey migration deal.
• EU Commission failed to fully assess costs, results of supporting refugees in Turkey.
• Turkey declined to provide data on impact of EU-funded education projects for refugees.
• Turkey's treatment of journalists, activists, and economic instability undermine deal implementation.
• Lack of data, transparency from Turkey hinders evaluation of EU's financial assistance effectiveness.