Migrant crisis: Dutch plan to send refugees to Greek islands back to Turkey

A group of civil servants is already working on the plan aimed at being implemented by spring

The Netherlands has worked out a plan to send asylum seekers who arrive to member states back to Turkey, reports Austrian newspaper Der Standard. Other publications state that Dutch civil servants are already working out details of the plan that would send the migrants back.

Under the proposal, Dutch Labor Party Leader Diederik Samson says that the EU could offer to take in as many as 200,000 refugees a year currently in Turkey for a 5-year period in exchange for Turkey setting up better border controls. He believes that the plan would be in place by spring before the next surge in numbers is expected as the weather makes the Aegean crossing less risky.

Samson said that Turkey is willing to accept the refugees on condition that the EU allows for 150,000 to 200,000 refugees to enter per year.  He also said that 10 EU member states must be willing to accept the refugees admitted to Europe, whereas those who don’t would have to contribute to the cost of care.