BRUSSELS (AP) – The brand new government director of the European Union’s border safety company Frontex on Thursday vowed to make sure that no unlawful pushbacks of migrants attempting to achieve Europe happen below his oversight.
Hans Leijtens was appointed to switch the resigned Fabrice Leggeri final yr following media allegations that the company was concerned within the apply. A report by EU anti-fraud company OLAF to Frontex later concluded that company employees had been concerned in overlaying up migrant pushbacks from Greece to Turkey.
Pushbacks – pushing would-be refugees away from a border earlier than they’ll attain a rustic and search asylum – are thought-about violations of worldwide refugee safety agreements, which say folks shouldn’t be deported or returned to a rustic the place their life and security could possibly be are in danger due to their race, faith, nationality or membership of a social or political group.
“Pushbacks by Frontex officers are usually not authorized. They’re banned,” Leijtens stated throughout a press convention with Ylva Johansson, the EU’s residence affairs commissioner. “I’m answerable for making certain that my folks don’t have interaction in … pushbacks.”
Leijtens will take up his new submit on March 1st.
Based on the printed OLAF report In October, Frontex high managers dedicated “critical misconduct and different irregularities” by overlaying up, failing to research, or improperly dealing with pushback incidents.
Leijtens stated “there may be nothing mysterious about Frontex” and that he’ll promote a “nothing to cover” angle whereas bettering transparency and placing an finish to “defensive attitudes”.
“We won’t do our job if we’re not trusted,” he stated.
Leijtens’ nomination comes because the EU-27 member international locations wrestle to make headway in discussions over a long-delayed overhaul of the bloc’s asylum system, proposed by the EU government greater than two years in the past.
The variety of makes an attempt by migrants to enter the EU and not using a allow reached round 330,000 final yrthe very best quantity since 2016, the EU Border and Coast Guard stated final week.
Johansson stated the rise was primarily as a result of arrival of residents who’re unlikely to wish worldwide safety and can should be returned to their nation of origin.
“Frontex is well-equipped to truly assist member states,” she stated, including that the company carried out the return of 25,000 folks final yr.
Johansson added that she is going to current a brand new repatriation technique subsequent week forward of a summit of EU leaders in February. She additionally urged EU international locations to step up their cooperation with Frontex for higher returns administration.
Johansson cited a rise in arrivals of Bangladeshis within the EU, most of whom don’t require worldwide safety. She stated after Bangladesh was placed on a visa sanctions checklist, native authorities had improved their cooperation and at the moment are able to take again their residents.
“However we’re additionally in a state of affairs the place Member States solely make readmission requests for round 10% to 20% of return choices,” she stated. “And when Frontex flies the planes to Bangladesh (…), they aren’t full. When we now have a political dynamic with a 3rd nation, it is crucial that we work collectively: (the European) Fee, Frontex, all Member States to essentially make these returns a actuality.”
Johansson and Leijtens had been additionally requested about experiences from NGOs arguing that Frontex’s use of aerial surveillance to permit the EU-trained Libyan Coast Guard to intercept boats carrying migrants makes the company complicit within the abuses endangered refugees as soon as there are returned to Libya.
Johansson replied that Frontex’s precedence is to save lots of lives and naturally they have to warn the Coast Guard in the event that they see a ship in peril.
“On the subject of Libya, there’s a particular problem due to the circumstances in Libya,” she stated. “That is why we do not wish to go away folks there.”
Johansson stated the EU is working with the UN and the African Union to make sure refugees are taken out of camps in Libya and resettled elsewhere in higher locations.
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Observe AP’s protection of world migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration