| Description |
The paper, which tackles the Turkish experience of irregular migration, will be divided into three sections. The first section will examine the background and nature of irregular migration in Turkey: foreign nationals, mostly from neighboring countries, who overstay their visa and/or are illegally employed; transit migrants from various countries whose primary aim is to make their way into the European Union (EU); trafficking victims women who have been forced into prostitution and are then apprehended; and lastly rejected or stranded asylum seekers.
The second section of the paper will examine the policies of the Turkish government towards these different groups of “irregular migrants”. This section will argue that the government follows a differentiated policy and that these policies are a function of different factors. It will also examine the role of non-governmental organizations. The last section will examine the issue of “irregular migration” in the context of EU-Turkish relations.
The paper argues that these relations are marked by deep mistrust and that this mistrust is likely to remain in the foreseeable future. One of the major sources of mistrust is the conviction among Turkish officials that the EU wants to use Turkey as a “buffer zone” and/or a “dumping ground” for irregular migrants. Additionally Turkish officials are also concerned about the way in which the EU compels neighboring countries to manage their borders in a manner that adversely affects these countries’ relations with Turkey. In other words, as the EU tries to strengthen “fortress Europe”, Turkey’s interests and security are adversely affected. The paper will conclude by arguing that both the EU and Turkey have an interest in taking each other’s interests and security seriously.
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