! Going into today’s @Frontex board meeting on illegal #pushbacks in the Aegean Greece trumpeted a chance to “set the record straight once and for all” Instead it spent hours on the defensive Key takeaways in thread below, full story here: spiegel.de/politik/auslan… 1/8
2/8 According to SPIEGEL info, Greek officials won few supporters (Germans weren’t among them). But succeeded in vetoing a proposed joint statement referring to Frontex’s power to even suspend operations when serious human rights are abused.
3/8 Greece argued such a statement would indirectly incriminate it, embolden smugglers and send wrong message to Turkey that is waging a hybrid war against the country and Europe.
4/8 In the end, Frontex announced an evaluation committee on legal questions arising from operations at sea borders under the EU Commission. It also ponders acc to my info overhauling the Serious Incident Report mechanism, making it easier for officers to file these reports
5/8 8 Frontex also says it wants to strengthen the so-called FRO office responsible for ensuring that EU border guards respect the fundamental rights of those seeking protection. Many experts consider existing monitoring mechanisms at Frontex inadequate.
6/8 Frontex boss Leggeri now has by the end of the month to address specific questions, before the next meeting of the board. Leggeri will also have to answer questions from the responsible committee of the European Parliament in the coming days.
7/8 The Board meeting was prompted by an investigation by @derspiegel and investigative partners @bellingcat , @LHreports, ARD's @reportmainz and TV Asahi into Frontex involvement and/or knowledge of illegal pushbacks. It was convened by Commissioner @YlvaJohansson
8/8 Greece has dismissed a multitude of pushback reports by international media, NGOs and international organisations wholesale as propaganda, without engaging in the specifics or making any investigation or its results public.
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