But in referring to last year’s chaotic movement of almost a million people from Greece that saw European Union states closing borders with each other, threatening the bloc’s cherished Schengen zone of passport-free travel, Tusk warned of a similar threat if Italy and its European Union partners did not cooperate to contain flows.
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Human rights groups say the deal is illegal under global law.
European Union migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said that the Commission would publish a formal assessment of the scheme next week.
“We would plead that the dignity of human beings, their fundamental rights, including the right to seek protection, the humane treatment, the best interests of children, the “non-refoulement” obligation and the right to family life, be respected under all circumstances”, he said.
The European Commission spokeswoman Tove Ernst told reporters in Brussels on Thursday that “detention of asylum seekers and migrants is indeed a possibility, but it should of course only be used very restrictively”.
Ankara has agreed to give Syrians returning to Turkey protected status again.
Speaking during the debate, Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly said while there were humanitarian concerns about the deal, control of the EU’s external borders was necessary to “bring order to a sea of chaos” as migrants try to reach Europe.
Pope Francis will make a one-day trip to Lesbos on Saturday in a show a solidarity with the migrants encamped there and will be joined by Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, Primate of the Church of Greece.
Sensing the tide is turning against allowing refugees free rein across the white countries of Europe, Soros wrote: “The asylum seekers are desperate”. Bozkir also announced a dramatic drop in the the number of people trying to reach Greece from Turkey.
General Paolo Serra, the military advisor to the United Nations special representative for Libya Martin Kobler, said Wednesday the global community must act to prevent an estimated 250,000 people from being forced to flee from Libya by year’s end.
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The 185-mile crossing is the most lethal of the migrant routes with one drowning per 54 successful voyages compared to one drowning for every 893 successful crossing by boat from Greece to Turkey.
