Auditors say it’s hard to tell how Turkey is using EU refugee funds. Some officials aren’t helpful

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union auditors are struggling to work out whether some of the billions the bloc has sent Turkey to help it cope with Syrian refugees is having an impact. They say some Turkish officials seem reluctant to cooperate. Under a deal between EU leaders and Turkey in 2016, the bloc committed to provide at least $6.4 billion to Turkey to help it manage refugees entering from Syria. Turkey in turn promised to stop migrants heading to Europe. A big slice is earmarked for education projects. The European Court of Auditors requested information about EU funded schools, but without success. It believes the information exists. One auditor says, “they just claimed that they didn’t have the data.”