Cases of Hellenic Coast Guard interceptions in the Aegean Sea

Question for written answer  E-002048/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Erik Marquardt (Verts/ALE)

On 10 April 2021, Der Spiegel published an article[1] stating that, according to figures provided by Frontex, since March 2020, 132 boats had been intercepted by the Hellenic Coast Guard in the Aegean Sea – where the EU agency is also present. This figure was not made public or available to Parliament, but as a Member of the European Parliament and of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs’ Frontex Security Working Group, I would like to ask the following:

• 1.Why was this figure not made available to Parliament?
• 2.Was this information on the 132 intercepted boats made available to Frontex’s Working Group on Fundamental Rights and Legal Operational Aspects of Operations in the Aegean Sea when examining alleged human rights violations and the involvement of the agency in such violations?
• 3.How was it proven that the safeguards of Regulation (EU) No 656/2014 were observed, that no boats were in distress and that no persons were in need of international protection?

• [1] Griechenland: Mehr als 100 Flüchtlingsboote bei Frontex-Einsätzen zurückgestoßen - Der Spiegel