Germany urged to simplify visa process for Turkish government opponents

Source: Schengen Visa Info

The Co-chairperson of the German Left Party, Martin Schirdewan, wants Germany to facilitate visa application procedures for Government opponents in Türkiye, and offer a simplified political refugee admission process for them.

Schirdewan’s proposal came after, according to him, the re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a President of Türkiye, which has led a large number of people to consider leaving the transcontinental country.

In Türkiye’s presidential and parliamentary elections held in May, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defeated opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu winning 52.14 percent of the total 99.45 percent of the votes counted.

Schirdewan considered that the elections in Türkiye were not free and served to secure power for Erdogan and also gain respect for him internationally.

Considering the election result as a “political catastrophe” he stressed that the German government should offer a quick admission of political refugees from Türkiye and a simplification of the visa system.

Schirdewan emphasized that with the re-election as well as the expansion of his power apparatus, people will inevitably have to flee for political reasons. He also said that the government of Germany can show it has learned from mistakes made following the earthquakes.

“Even with the political catastrophe, members of the opposition, students, journalists and everyone else who has to flee for political reasons need quick and unbureaucratic admission and a simplification of the visa system. This would be a practical sign of solidarity and at the same time a message to Erdoğan,” Schirdewan noted.

The number of Turkish nationals leaving the country has recently marked an increase.

The figures provided previously by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) revealed that last year, a total of 55,000 applications for asylum were filed by Turkish citizens in EU countries as well as Norway and Switzerland.

In comparison to 2021 figures, last year, asylum applications for Turkish citizens in EU countries doubled.

European Union and Turkish officials are continuously attempting to ease Schengen visa procedures.

In December last year, representatives of EU countries as well as the Foreign Ministry of Türkiye held three meetings in Ankara, as part of efforts to further facilitate the visa process for citizens of Türkiye.

Local media reports revealed that the meetings were held to discuss the steps that should be taken when it comes to the visa facilitation process for Turkish nationals.