The future of nearly 5 million migrants, mostly Syrians, in Turkey has sparked heated debate in Turkish politics in recent days ahead of the upcoming Ramadan Bayram (Eid al-Fitr) holidays.
Migrants and refugees in Turkey will voluntarily return to their countries once peace is established, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday.
Referring to earlier remarks made by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Erdoğan told reporters in Ankara, "We are not a country that shoos migrants. We embrace them," adding that the Syrians will want to return to their homes when peace is established and the construction of briquette homes is completed.
Erdoğan's remarks came amid an ongoing debate about whether to allow Syrian migrants and refugees in Turkey to visit their country during the upcoming Ramadan Bayram holidays. The migrants have been briefly visiting their families and relatives in areas liberated from terrorists during the holidays and returned back to Turkey.
But this year, a debate emerged as Turkey deals with an influx of migrants from more conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Ukraine and other countries, in addition to the society's economic problems, which some sections shift the burden on migrants' shoulders.
"As of last week, we said to our governors that there will be no holiday leave. Currently, there is no holiday leave. They can go to the safe zone and stay there. Those who want to go and return for the holiday will not be allowed," Soylu said.
Earlier this week, the president said Turkey has been "temporarily hosting" around 5 million migrants, including nearly 3.5 million Syrians.
"We are striving to ensure that our Syrian brothers and sisters are able to voluntarily and honorably return to their homes, although we have been left alone," the president said.
It's been more than 10 years since the first group of Syrian refugees, consisting of 250 people, entered Turkey, starting their new lives in the country after fleeing the war and persecution of the Bashar Assad regime. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Turkey has backed moderate opposition groups against the Assad regime and opened its doors to those who had to flee the country to save their lives. Now, Turkey hosts more Syrian migrants than any other country in the world. The country also leads humanitarian aid efforts for Syrians in Turkey and opposition-controlled areas of northern Syria, while making large investments for Syrians in Turkey in social cohesion policies to help Syrians integrate into society smoothly.
The return of Syrian refugees has been made possible by the safe zones created as a result of Turkey's successful cross-border counterterrorism operations against the PKK terrorist group's Syrian offshoot, the YPG, and Daesh terrorists. Since launching several operations in northern Syria to fight terrorism, Turkey also rolled up its sleeves to reconstruct hospitals, schools, mosques and roads destroyed by the terror groups. These efforts paid off as hundreds of displaced Syrians started to return to the liberated areas. In line with its goal to rejuvenate the region, Turkey is also building briquette houses for Syrians in the northwestern Idlib province, the last opposition bastion.
On Tuesday, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli said he thinks Syrians returning to their homes during the holidays should not return.
"Irregular migration is an unnamed invasion. Those detained must be immediately sent back," the MHP leader said, adding that if the Syrians are able to visit their homes for the holidays, then there is no reason for them to come back to Turkey.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said some 500,000 Syrians have returned to their homes after the areas were liberated by the Turkish military. Turkey also prevented the illegal entry of 2,5 million irregular migrants and repatriated 330,000 irregular migrants in line with international agreements and rules. He added that around 700,000 irregular migrants went to European countries from Turkey in the past five years.
Regarding restrictions on Ramadan Bayram visits, Soylu said Turkey has the prerogative to restrict them.
"It is not possible to go to unsafe areas. We also have a restriction on going to safe areas for this holiday and the next holiday," he said and added that Syrian refugees will return when the conditions are established and efforts for this aim continue.
He also accused the main opposition and its leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of fueling anti-migrant sentiments and exploiting a populist discourse on the issue for political gains.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairperson Kılıçdaroğlu said Tuesday that his party will send Syrian migrants to their countries and they will "voluntarily" leave.
Kılıçdaroğlu stated that when the CHP comes to power, the Syrians will be sent back to their country of their own will, ensuring the safety of life and property.
"We will make peace with that country and send them to their own country."
CHP Group Deputy Chair Engin Özkoç claimed this week that Turkey hosts nearly 8 million refugees and the government is confused about what to do with them and has no policy or plan on migrants.
Stating that if they come to power, they will make diplomatic initiatives for the refugees to return to the countries of their own accord, Özkoç said that they would ensure that the refugees go to the countries they came from.
Opposition Victory Party (Zafer Partisi) Chairperson Ümit Özdağ, who's known for his staunch anti-migrant stance, also spoke on Tuesday, saying that his party is launching a process for discussions with the Assad regime for the return of Syrian migrants and refugees.
He noted that former Minister Şükrü Sina Gürel will lead the process to launch diplomatic talks with the regime for migrants' return.
Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to cross to Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Most Syrians who fled the civil war and escaped to Turkey are happy in the country and do not want to return home, a recent poll of Syrian refugees in Turkey revealed.