GAZIANTEP: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and top European Union officials arrived near Turkey’s border with Syria on Saturday in a bid to bolster a troubled migration deal with Turkey as they face increasing pressure to reassess the agreement.

Human rights groups criticized the trip to what they call a “sanitized” refugee camp — and said EU officials should look further at the tens of thousands of Syrian refugees that are now blocked from entering Turkey.

The trip to the border city of Gaziantep by Merkel, EU Council President Donald Tusk, EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, comes as many have questioned the legality of the March 20 EU-Turkey deal allowing for the deportation of migrants who don’t qualify for asylum in Greece back to Turkey.

The EU in return has earmarked 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) to Turkey over the next four years to help improve conditions for the 2.7 million Syrian refugees inside Turkey. The EU is also set to allow visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

Speaking in Berlin on Friday, Merkel defended the EU-Turkey deal, saying it is “absolutely right and important and helps us to protect the outer border of the Schengen (free travel) area together with our neighbors.”