Frontex says “serious” irregularities detected by OLAF are “practices of the past”

BRUSSELS, Oct. 14 (EUROPE PRESS) –

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has defended itself this Friday by assuring that the “serious” irregularities in the field of Human Rights that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) detected in its activities in Greece during 2020 are “practices of the past” after which corrective measures have been taken.

The border control agency reacts in this way to the cases of hot returns and other serious human rights incidents that took place two years ago on the Greek coast before Frontex agents, according to an OLAF report whose content was revealed on Thursday. by different European media and organizations.

In a statement released this Friday, Frontex confirms that the OLAF study “provides a snapshot of a series of events that occurred from spring to late autumn 2020 in the context of alleged violations of Fundamental Rights” and adds that “they are practices of the past.

Among the cases of “serious misbehavior” by Frontex personnel, says the agency, the report points out the obstacles to the person in charge of Fundamental Rights of Frontex to access the information of the operations, against the own rules of this border body , as well as to process serious complaints.

The OLAF document also warns that attempts by agents to alert the Frontex hierarchy of the most serious incidents were “blatantly ignored” by those responsible.

The then director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, finally resigned in April 2022 after the first leaks of the OLAF report and the Frontex agency decided to close the matter without continuing to investigate responsibilities in the rest of the agency for the illegalities.

However, Frontex defends that corrective measures have been taken since the episodes off the Greek coast in 2020 and ensures that it listens to the findings of investigators, auditors and “other serious forms of scrutiny” to take it as “opportunities” for change and improvement.

Frontex “is committed to providing a well-functioning, law-abiding agency that adheres to the best practices of good governance,” the statement said, arguing that “in difficult times such as those Europe and its neighbors are now facing, this It’s more important than ever.”