The European Fee has known as for an impartial investigation into allegations authorities carried out an unlawful migrant pushback in April and warned it might take “formal steps” towards the nation.
Brussels warned on Monday it stands prepared to “take formal steps” towards Greece over an alleged unlawful migrant pushback this 12 months following the discharge of a New York Instances investigation purported to point out authorities forcing migrants right into a dinghy and abandoning them at sea.
“My companies have despatched a proper request to Greek authorities that this incident be absolutely and independently investigated,” Residence Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson wrote on Twitter.
“It’s vital that correct follow-up is taken by Greek authorities, additionally primarily based on the brand new impartial monitoring mechanism and the EU Fee stands able to take formal steps, as acceptable,” she added.
A video filmed on the Greek island of Lesbos by an nameless activist on 11 April and shared by the New York Instances final week reveals a bunch of 12 asylum seekers together with youngsters and a 6-month-old child being transferred from an unmarked van to a Greek Coast Guard vessel and ultimately into an inflatable raft left deserted in the midst of the Aegean Sea.
This could represent an unlawful pushback and violate EU and worldwide regulation.
Contacted by Euronews, the Greek authorities declined to remark.
NGOs have for years accused Greek authorities of finishing up such pushbacks, which Athens has at all times denied. Investigations carried out by Greek authorities into such accusations had cleared authorities businesses of any wrongdoings.
A report from the EU’s anti-fraud workplace, OLAF, leaked late final 12 months nonetheless discovered that Frontex, the bloc’s border company, coated up a number of pushback situations by Greek authorities in theAegean Sea between 2020 and 2021.
The scandal led the-then Frontex chief to resign along with his successor, Hans Leijtens, telling reporters on the begin of the 12 months that as pushbacks are unlawful, he can be “answerable for the truth that my individuals do not take part in something known as a pushback. I believe that’s completely clear. That is the authorized framework I work in.”
Brussels had in the meantime additionally demanded that Greece arrange an impartial monitoring authority to research allegations of pushbacks as a situation for the discharge of EU funding for coast guard operations within the Aegean Sea.
This authority has now been in place for a 12 months and must be the one to research the most recent allegations.
“There should be an in-depth investigation at nationwide stage with a view to set up the circumstances which might be at play, the veracity of what you may have seen, what has been reported on within the (New York Instances) article. After which, relying on all of that, we are going to, in fact, take any measures which might be vital and any motion that’s vital,” a Fee spokesperson stated on Monday.
“We’re not going to attract conclusions and announce motion or exercise that we take earlier than changing into conscious of the conclusions of that investigation that shall be carried out on the nationwide stage,” the spokesperson added.
Read the full article here
