Turkish citizens rank first in deportations from EU to third countries

Turkish citizens ranked first among those deported from European Union countries to third countries in 2025, according to data released by Eurostat. A total of 13,405 Turkish nationals were returned following administrative decisions.

Turkish citizens also rank fifth in the "refused entry" category, which includes individuals denied entry at border gates or airports.

In the refused entry statistics, Ukraine ranked first with 26,975 citizens, followed by Albania with 12,430, Moldova with 11,660, and Colombia with 6,565. Turkey followed with 5,635 citizens denied entry.

In total, 132,600 people were refused entry at EU external borders throughout 2025, marking a 7.1% increase compared to 2024.

Human rights organizations argue that official data only captures a portion of actual practices. A report titled "Beaten Back at Europe’s Borders," which included contributions from the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, identified at least 80,865 informal "pushback" cases in 2025. (AEK/VK)