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Spain's acting PM defends EU-Turkey agreement at parliament

Xinhua, April 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy defended at the Spanish parliament on Wednesday the agreement reached between the EU and Turkey on refugees.

Rajoy said the agreement with Turkey respected international law on asylum, pointing out that "refugees will not have to risk their lives to come to Europe" while adding that a legal path was guaranteed to welcome the refugees, allowing them to avoid risking their lives and being victims of human trafficking.

"Europe faces a big challenge, but if there is a country ready for it, it is Spain," the prime minister said, adding the process to welcome 16,000 refugees was going ahead, albeit "at low pace."

Meanwhile, Spain's main opposition parties said the agreement signed between the EU and Turkey on refugees was "shameful."

Spain's main opposition party, PSOE, as well as Podemos and Ciudadanos described the agreement as such and accused Rajoy of breaching agreements on refugees. Endit