The EU’s top migration official on Thursday called on Greece to stop “violent” deportations of migrants or risk losing money.
After becoming one of the main destination points during the 2015 migration crisis, Athens has spent the past year increasing land and maritime patrols, expanding a border fence and building camps with more tight security on its islands near Turkey. Has tightened its policy.
It has repeatedly denied allegations of so-called pushback from asylum seekers, saying it barges boats at sea to protect its and EU borders.
“Protecting the EU’s external border from illegal entry is an obligation. The violent and illegal deportation of migrants must now stop,” Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said after a meeting with Greek government ministers.
He said Athens would introduce a new system to protect fundamental rights from September. He did not give any information about the new system. Greek officials have yet to comment.
“The funding is tied to the fundamental rights of the European Union being properly implemented,” she said.
Greece said last month that it would not allow illegal entry of migrants by land or sea, following increased efforts through its Aegean islands and the land border with Turkey.
Addressing EU lawmakers on Monday, Greek Migration Minister Notice Mitarachi said the EU also needed to do more to ensure that boats do not cross over from Turkey, with which Greece regularly emigrates and Trades barbs on other issues.
“Greece would expect an even more active role of EU institutions in calling on Turkey to abide by its commitments,” he said. “According to the testimony of a considerable number of asylum seekers, the Turkish authorities are actively encouraging illegal departures.”
The influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa in 2015 affected the bloc’s social and security capabilities.
The number of arrivals had declined sharply since then, but in recent weeks, Greek officials said they had barred large numbers of people from entering.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR said about 47,000 people have reached Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta by sea so far this year. Mediterranean countries expect more than 150,000 arrivals this year because of food shortages Ukraine The threat of conflict led to an increase in arrivals from Africa and the Middle East.
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