Analysis of the Eu-Turkey statement within the Turkish migration policy regarding the Syrian crisis

Abstract

The EU-Turkey Statement and Joint Action Plan was implemented in response to the refugee crisis boom in 2015 which was originated by the Syrian conflict. The purpose of this dissertation is to verify if the Turkish migration policy, particularly the EU -Turkey Statement responds to the needs of the European Union and geopolitical Turkish interest, but it is not a solution to the problem of Syrian migration due to the lack of infrastructure, an efficient system and clear guidelines for the management of migrants. The following dissertation will use constructivism and complex interdependence as theoretical frameworks as it aims to understand the cause of Syrian migrants seeking refuge in the EU and the consequences of the EU-Turkey Statement on international law and the lives of Syrian refugees. Moreover, the methodology chosen is qualitative through an inductive approach alongside discourse and documentary analysis because it allows to study all the factors individually in order to understand the whole issue. Finally, this dissertation concludes that the parties’ interests shape the Statement and as such the welfare of refugees was not considered due to the breach of the international law and the human rights violations.