"Europe needs to take responsibility for new migrants from Afghanistan and elsewhere too, they cannot avoid this. Turkey has no responsibility to become Europe's migrant storage unit," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed in his comments on Thursday after the cabinet meeting.
Since the Taliban entered Kabul over the weekend, scenes of chaos have unfolded as thousands seek to leave, fearing a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago.
Thousands had also crossed into Turkey in recent weeks, as the insurgents swept through the country en route to Kabul.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdoğan said Europe needed to take responsibility for Afghans fleeing the country, adding that Ankara had taken measures along its borders with Iran - a key route for Afghan migrants into Turkey.
The Turkish leader also said Turkey could engage in talks with the new government to be formed by the Taliban to discuss "our common agendas".
Turkey will begin requiring negative COVID-19 test results and proofs of vaccination for some sectors, including from teachers as schools reopen next month and for domestic travel, Erdogan said in a statement.
Turkey has administered some 87 million vaccines against COVID-19, mainly Sinovac's Coronavac and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Earlier this week, Ankara began
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdoğan said the new requirements would be imposed for teachers, academics and thosw who attend social gathering such as concerts.
Public events such as concerts, theatres and movie theatres will soon require a negative PCR test to curb the spread of the virus.
"Airplanes and inter-city bus travels will also require PCR test to travel," he said.
Regarding wildfires that began after July 28, the president said 72,000 decares of cultivated and planted land, nearly 1,000 decares of greenhouses, 2,590 tons of stored products, 2, 600 agricultural buildings were damaged.
Turkey saw hundreds of forest fires in southern and southwestern provinces from July 28.
With intensive and dedicated efforts, all blazes were brought under control in just over two weeks.
At least eight deaths were reported, according to official figures.
