FRONTEX requests additional border guards to tackle migration 40710152

Posted On
Defence & Security News - (FRONTEX)
 
FRONTEX requests additional border guards to tackle migration
The huge wave of migrants and asylum seekers has put its strains on Greece and Italy, which have seen 470,000 immigrants arriving at their borders, since the beginning of the year. Most of these people have Germany and other northern European countries as their final destination, seeking better living conditions.
     
FRONTEX requests additional border guards to tackle migration
A Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat rescues migrants during a night operation (Source: FRONTEX)
     

However, before being allowed to move further in the European mainland, they have to be properly registered and identified. However, “no country can possibly handle such high migratory pressure at its borders by itself” according to FRONTEX Executive Director, Fabrice Leggeri.

For that reason, FRONTEX launched a call for 775 additional border guards to be deployed by the national authorities of Member States at the external borders of the European Union. This is the largest number of border guards FRONTEX has ever requested in the history of the agency. The officers are to assist mainly Italy and Greece in the registration and identification of migrants coming from Libya and Turkey.

Frontex requested 670 officers – mainly screeners, debriefers and interpreters to be deployed in Italy and Greece, in addition to 105 officers to be deployed at various external land borders of the European Union.

The screening officers play a key role in helping authorities to determine the nationality of the incoming migrants in order to identify and register them. Debriefers gather information about the activities of smuggling networks.