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Turkey to offer work permits for Syrian refugees: minister

Xinhua, January 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkey plans to introduce work permits for Syrian refugees in a bid to ease pressure on them to migrate to Europe, Turkish European Union (EU) Minister Volkan Bozkir said on Monday.

The minister made the remarks at a press conference with European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans in Ankara.

In November, the EU and Turkey reached a deal in which Ankara pledged to take measures to reduce the number of Syrians crossing through Turkey to Europe.

The EU, in return, will provide Ankara with 3 billion euros to stem the migrant flow.

Turkey stopped 500 migrants daily, the minister said, adding that Turkey is trying to prevent illegal migration.

The number of Syrian refugees hosted by Turkey has reached 2,421,000 in 2015.

Some 80,000 refugees have been saved off Turkish coasts in 2015, while more than 3,000 died on their way to Greek islands via Turkey, the Turkish coast guard said. Endit