On Thursday, the European Parliament approved the extension of a cash-assistance program for Syrian refugees in Turkey.
The European Parliament announced that EU lawmakers approved an amendment to the EU’s 2021 budget that allocated $170 million extra funding for Syrian refugees in Turkey with 588 votes in favor, 87 against, and 14 abstentions.
The financial support will extend the bloc’s multi-purpose cash assistance scheme which provides monthly transfers for the most vulnerable refugees to cover essential needs of rent, bills, food, and medicine.
The additional financing from the remaining margin of the 2021 budget will prolong the initiation, without which the program would have ended through early 2022.
However, according to the European Commission’s estimates, the extended scheme will require a total of $365 million through early 2023.
In September, EU member states had approved the extension of the humanitarian aid.
Providing protection to nearly four million people who fled the civil war, Turkey is the largest host country for Syrian refugees.
