EU agrees on second instalment for Turkey to assist Syrian refugees

BRUSSELS, June 29 (KUNA) -- European Union member states agreed Friday on how to finance an additional three billion euro (USD 3.5 million) for the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey to support Syrian refugees.
EU Permanent Representatives agreed that two billion euro (USD 2.3 billion) of this amount will be financed from the EU budget and the remaining one billion euro (USD 1.16 billion) by contributions from the 28 EU member states.
An EU statement said today's agreement honors the commitment undertaken by the EU under the EU-Turkey deal of 18 May 2016 to provide a second instalment of three billion euro for the refugee facility before the three billion euro initially allocated has been fully used up.
"The facility for refugees is running successfully and has provided Syrian refugees in Turkey valuable help with essentials, such as health care and schooling.
Today's agreement comes in time to ensure that our support for the different projects on the ground can continue without interruption, in line with our promise from 2016," commented Marinela Petrova, deputy finance minister of Bulgaria whose country holds the current EU Presidency. (end) nk.mb