Last two days for historic Turkey-EU visa accord

The forthcoming two days mark a crucial 48 hours for Turkey to come one step closer to having its citizens granted visa-free travel inside the European Union, as part of the Turkey-EU migrant deal reached to curb the flow of migrants into the bloc. 

In the deal reached in mid-March, the EU pledged to grant Turkish citizens visa-free travel from July onwards, provided Ankara meets the 72 necessary criteria. 

Turkish EU Minister Volkan Bozk?r said on April 28 that Turkey would fulfill all 72 criteria required to ensure visa-free travel by a May 4 deadline, when the European Commission will decide on whether or not to recommend Turkish citizens to be exempt from visa requirements for travelling inside the EU's Schengen zone. 

Bozk?r's remarks came before parliament was temporarily closed until May 2 due to a fierce brawl that erupted during a constitutional commission meeting that was discussing legislation on lifting lawmakers' immunity from prosecution on April 28, which left five deputies injured. 

Turkey will try to compensate for the time lost due to the closure of the parliament and try to pass the remaining clauses. But even if Turkey passes all of these, it is technically not possible to meet of the 72 criteria. 

Turkey's full application of the readmission agreement is one of the 72 criteria but this will not be finalized on May 4 as it will enter into force on June 1. 

Due to the reciprocity clause, Turkey implementing visa-free travel to EU citizens is one of the other criteria but this will not start to be implemented on May 4, as Turkey intends to put this clause into force on June 30, when the EU pledged to lift the visa-restrictions for Turkish citizens on condition of all criteria being met.