Frontex Asks for 1,500 Extra Police Officers, 50 Returns Experts to Assist Greece
The European Union border agency Frontex on Monday asked EU member-states and other countries linked to Schengen to send 1,500 police officers and 50 experts in readmissions and returns to reinforce Greece. The aim is to support Greece in the return of migrants to Turkey.
A Frontex announcement said that several member-states have already committed to sending additional officers.
There have been intensive talks in the past two days between all the parties involved, including the European Commission, Greece, the other EU member-states and EU agencies such as Frontex, EASO and Europol, on how to best coordinate their efforts to implement the European Council decisions of March 18.
Frontex will continue to assist Greek authorities in monitoring borders, search-and-rescue operations and the registration of migrants at hotspots, as well as with returns and readmissions procedures, the announcement said. Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri pointed out, however, that Frontex can only return migrants once Greek authorities have examined each case in detail and have issued a final return decision.
ANA-MPA