EU Border Agency to Reduce Presence in Greece Amid Abuse Probe

Frontex, the EU border agency, may redirect some of its resources based in Greece to other regions where demand may be higher.

Concurrently, in response to alleged abuses revealed through video evidence obtained by The New York Times, there is a possibility that the use of EU-financed Frontex vessels by Greek authorities could be withdrawn.

It is believed that discussions are currently being held between the Warsaw-based EU border agencies and the government in Greece. No decisions have yet been officially made public.

EU border agency considers changes to operations in Greece

Over the past two days, Hans Leijtens, the executive director of Frontex, has been in Athens, focusing discussions on current and upcoming operations.

“Any concerns or questions are being thoroughly investigated,” he commented, in a tweet on Tuesday.

The New York Times video presents video evidence of Greek authorities leaving people stranded at sea, even including a six-month-old baby.

The video was followed by the mass drowning that occurred during the Adriana shipwreck on June 14 within the Greek search-and-rescue zone, resulting in the likely loss of over 500 lives.

An internal investigation by Greek authorities is still ongoing, yet no conclusive findings have been released. However, various media investigations suggest that the shipwreck might have been triggered by the overly-aggressive actions of the Greek coast guard.

Frontex to divert resources from Greek waters?

With a decline in the intensity of arrivals from Turkey to Greece, there is a possibility of a partial shift of resources from the joint Operation Poseidon, which was initiated in 2011. Currently, the operation involves 260 officers, patrol vessels, aircraft, and specialized equipment.

Recent data from the agency indicated that half of the arrivals to the EU occurred through the Central Mediterranean, totaling over 50,000 detections from January to May. In contrast, the route from Turkey to Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria experienced a 35 percent decrease, with just over 10,000 arrivals during the same period.

Despite the decrease in arrivals, there have been almost daily reports of illegal pushbacks in the Aegean Sea from the Greek side, raising concerns about human rights violations in the region.

Aegean Boat Report, an NGO, has reported a decline in the intensity of pushbacks in the Aegean Sea.

According to their data, this month has seen a significant reduction, with only one life raft found drifting compared to ten in the previous month and a staggering 44 life rafts discovered in July of the previous year.

“Due to pressure from the international community, and lately Frontex, it seems Greek authorities have been forced to change some of their inhumane and illegal practices against people arriving on Greek islands,” the NGO said this week.