In 2020, Kenneth Neijnes was the head of a Swedish Frontex crew in Greece. During a rescue mission, the crew documented what they judged to be a so-called pushback. According to the Swedes, the Greeks forced a migrant boat back to the Turkish side, which may violate human rights.
Kenneth Neijnes went to a local manager at Frontex to make an incident report.
– Then this person got upset and thought it was wrong and said: “Kenneth, you can’t do that, it’s not your job. If you write such a report, it can have consequences for you and your future. It could damage you and your career.”
Word against word
The report was finally submitted and the incident reached Frontex top management. The local chief said it was a misunderstanding and the Greeks denied pushing back. Despite the fact that the Swedes gathered evidence through radar images, the investigators believed that word was against word.
– It is a fairly common conclusion when it comes to certain levels, says Kenneth Neijnes.
He has not sought out the media himself, but when Uppdrag gränskning makes contact, he chooses to tell the story.
– If you find me in a report like this, I think it is my responsibility as a government official to speak out.
“Punishment”
After the report, the Greeks relocated the crew to an area far from the migrant flows. The Coast Guard’s annual report states that, after that, the Swedes did not see a single migrant boat to report to the Greeks during the mission, which lasted for several months.
– Everyone can draw their own conclusion. My conclusion is that it was part of some punishment, says Kenneth Neijnes.
In the annual report it is also stated that the Frontex operation required so many resources that operational activities and preparedness in Sweden suffered.
The Greek coast guard denies in an email that they punished the Swedish crew.