(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, 01 LUG - Greece was on Thursday warned by
the European Union's top migration official to stop "violent"
deportations of migrants from the country, or risk of losing
funds.
Following a recent rapid rise in incidents in the Aegean Sea
with the Greek Coast Guard having to reduce hundreds of asylum
seekers attempting to enter the country on boats from the
Turkish coast, the Greek government have come under the
spotlight again with accusations of so-called pushbacks
involving migrants coming to the fore.
Over the course of three days last weekend alone, the Greek
Coast Guard said they were called to intercept 24 incidents,
most of them off the coast of Lesbos.
Those incidents involved over 1,000 migrants in total who had
boarded inflatable boats on Turkish shores and tried to get into
Greek territorial waters in the direction of Lesbos, Chios,
Samos, Kos and Rhodes.
Greece continues to be one of the main destination points for
refugees and migrants since the migration crisis erupted in
2015. Athens has hardened its policy in the past three years
since the centre-right party New Democracy came to power by
increasing security measures, such as land and sea patrols,
extending border fences, and building new closed and controlled
camps on the Aegean islands.
The Greek government have often been locked in a war or words
with Turkey, repeatedly denying accusations of carrying out
pushbacks of asylum-seekers, insisting that they intercepts
boats at sea to protect their own and the European Union's
borders.
"Today I met with Ministers of Greek Government to discuss
external border management, migration and fundamental rights;
protecting EU external border from illegal entry is an
obligation. Violent and illegal deportations of migrants must
stop now," said Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson after
emerging from her discussions.
Although Johansson did not give any specific details about
the new system, and Greek officials have yet to comment, she
clearly stated that "Funding is linked to EU fundamental rights
being correctly applied".
Greece's Minister for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis,
said last month that the government will not allow the illegal
entry of migrants by land or by sea, after an increase in
attempted entries through its Aegean islands and the land border
with Turkey.
In an address to EU lawmakers earlier this week on Monday,
Mitarakis said the EU needed to do more to ensure boats were not
crossing over from Turkey.
"Greece would expect an even more active role of EU
institutions, in calling Turkey to abide by its commitments
under the 2016 Joint Statement and fully implement its
provisions, namely preventing departures, stopping
push-forwards, and accepting returns of those not eligible for
protection," said Mitarakis.
He also referred to recent Turkish political provocations,
saying: "We are facing several provocations by Turkey against
our sovereign rights, not least inflammatory, revisionist and
legally unfounded statements concerning the status of the Aegean
islands" But "despite these difficulties, over the past three
years, in cooperation with the [European] Commission, we have
worked towards substantially improving the situation on the
ground.''
Around 47,000 people arrived by sea to Italy, Greece, Spain,
Cyprus and Malta so far this year, according to the latest
figures released by the UN refugee agency UNHCR. The
Mediterranean countries expect over 150,000 arrivals this year
as food shortages caused by the Ukraine conflict threaten
increased arrivals from Africa and the Middle East.
Mitarakis reiterated that Greece sees its role as one of a
frontline protector of the EU's borders, but also was at pains
to point out that all of its actions related to migrants are
down within the boundaries of the law. (ANSAmed).
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Greece warned on 'violent deportations' of migrants by EU
Recent increase in incidents in the Aegean reignites debate