Greece has the most open cases (13) of human rights violations in the European Union related to migrants entering the country. Frontex has requested the European Commission consider sanctions, citing disappointment over repeated pushbacks by Greek authorities, according to Politico.
Frontex is also considering, through its fundamental rights officer Jonas Grimheden, suspending its presence in Greece (and European funding), though this would result in no oversight of Greek authorities’ handling of migration.
The Coast Guard states that its humanitarian work is “undisputed” and that internal investigations are conducted in cases of “deviations.”
“If Frontex left Greece, there would be no way to know how the authorities are handling migrants arriving. The agency ensures monitoring and transparency,” he said, adding that “Greece remains our biggest issue regarding human rights.”
In May 2023, the European Union urged Greece to investigate claims of abandoning migrants at sea and expulsions by its authorities, while in 2024, nearly a third of Frontex’s 56 open cases involved the country.
Frontex had previously told POLITICO that it had made specific proposals to Greece for implementation, with potential consequences if ignored.
