While the push-back cases, which are frequently on the agenda in the Mediterranean and the Aegean, drew reactions all over the world, scandalous events brought resignation. Fabrice Leggeri, Director of the EU Border Protection Agency Frontex, resigned from his post after the news that was frequently reflected in the press…
In the news in the European media, it was stated that Leggeri submitted his resignation letter to Frontex management.
Anitta Hipper, one of the spokespersons of the EU Commission, on a question at the daily press conference, said that the Frontex board of directors was in an extraordinary meeting, and the result of the meeting would be announced in the afternoon.
IT WAS FREQUENTLY IN THE NEWS
Frontex and Leggeri have been frequently the subject of news in recent years that people who want to go to EU countries in the Mediterranean and Aegean are pushed back.
Finally, in the joint research conducted by “Lighthouse Reports”, “Der Spiegel”, “SRF Rundschau”, “Republik” and “Le Monde” yesterday, it was stated that Frontex’s database includes records of hundreds of irregular migrants being pushed back in the Aegean.
DIFFERENT PROCESSES TO THE DATABASE
It was noted that the agency was involved in pushing back 957 asylum seekers, including women and children, at sea between March 2020 and September 2021, and these cases were labeled as “prevention of departure from origin points” in Frontex’s database “Jora”.
The EU Anti-Corruption Office (OLAF) launched an investigation against Frontex on charges such as pushing back migrants in the Aegean, harassment and abuse of power.
TURKISH COAST GUARDS FOUND
According to the records in the database in question, in 22 different cases, asylum seekers were abandoned at sea by being put on boats after being stopped by the Greek coast guard. In an incident that took place on 28 May 2021, it was noted that 50 immigrants who came to Lesbos reported their location to the Norwegian non-governmental organization, but the group was later found on a boat by the Turkish Coast Guard forces.
MINUTE OF GORGEOUS MINUTE RECORDED
While Frontex denied the allegations, the footage recorded in the Aegean was in the nature of a lie. The footage begins with Greek elements pushing boats carrying refugees into Turkish territorial waters. Greek soldiers, who make maneuvers to sink the boat carrying dozens of refugees, including children, with their ships, then punch holes in the boats they approach with sharp iron sticks. Meanwhile, some Greek soldiers fire into the air or around the boat. It is also seen in the images that the Turkish Coast Guard elements come to the aid of the refugees who are approaching death.
TURKEY PROVIDES EVIDENCE
The report revealed with photographs and images that, as Turkey has repeatedly demonstrated, Greece is pushing the immigrants back and Frontex is making progress in this.
ALLEGED THAT THEY ORBASED
The findings from the final report of OLAF’s investigation on Frontex were also featured in the European press last month. In the final report, it was claimed that Frontex President Leggeri and other senior officials not only knew about Greece’s pushback in the Aegean Sea, but also covered it up.
In many news in the European press, it was claimed that Frontex supported Greece to push irregular migrants back to the open sea, acted against international law, and sprayed refugee boats that needed to be rescued to the Turkish border. It was argued that Leggeri had the evidence erased in an incident involving Greece pushing back irregular migrants.
Frontex and Greek authorities have so far denied allegations of push-backs.