European Parliament refuses to approve Frontex's 2020 budget over reports of rights violations

By Busra Nur Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - The European Parliament on Tuesday refused to approve the 2020 budget of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) over reports of human rights violations.

“345 MEPs voted in favour of the committee recommendation to refuse discharge to Frontex, 284 voted against (in favour of granting discharge) and 8 abstained,” said a European Parliament statement.

Earlier this month, members of the Budgetary Control Committee recommended against clearing the 2020 budget for Frontex citing the “magnitude of the committed serious misconduct” and possible structural problems under the previous executive director of the agency, the statement said.

“The agency failed to protect the fundamental rights of migrants and asylum seekers and, according to media report, was involved in the illegal pushbacks of at least 957 refugees between March 2020 and September 2021,” it added.

The suicide of a staff member, which was "related to alleged practices of sexual harassment," also shocked members of the European Parliament, the statement said, adding of the 17 sexual harassment incidents filed to the agency in 2020, 15 were adjudicated without further action.

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said on Monday she was “shocked” over a recent report on Frontex that said the EU border protection agency covered up Greece's illegal pushbacks of migrants and asylum seekers in the Aegean Sea.

Johansson told European Parliament members in Brussels that they took the issue seriously since allegations of Greece pushing migrants back to Türkiye first emerged.

In February, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) prepared a report on Frontex's role in the violation of fundamental rights at the EU's external borders.

Johansson said the report revealed the personal mismanagement of three people from Frontex management, including the then director.

Stressing that Frontex has an important responsibility to protect fundamental human rights while safeguarding the EU's external borders, she said the previous administration's abuse of power is a very serious issue.

This has damaged the institution's prospects of fulfilling its mandate, she added.