Erdoğan: Turkey rejects 1 bn euro migrant aid offer from EU

Speaking during a joint press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov late Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his remarks that the European Union did not fully meet requirements of 2016 EU-Turkey refugee deal.

He also pointed that the expectations on responsibility sharing were remained unanswered.

"Unfortunately, the EU and world public opinion do not understand the situation of Turkey that hosts more than 4 million refugees fleeing the Syria war," Turkish leader said in a statement.

Erdoğan said that Turkey had rejected an EU offer of an additional one billion euros to help deal with millions of migrants it houses.


"We rejected 1 bn euro migrant aid offer from the European Union. Turkey already spent $40 billion and will find way to earn that money," Erdoğan told reporters during the meeting.

"We are talking to them. They tell us, 'we will send you a billion euros.' Who are you trying to fool? ... We don't want this money," Erdoğan said in the televised comments as thousands of migrants try to cross from Turkey into Greece.

Criticizing Athens for having no respect for international migration law, Erdoğan also added that two migrants have been killed by Greek security forces on border so far.