Suspension of Frontex operations in Hungary
24.2.2021
Question for written answer E-001120/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Thierry Mariani (ID)
On 27 January 2021, Frontex announced that it was suspending its operational activities in Hungary. The decision came after a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 17 December 2020 in which it accused Budapest of failing in its obligation to ensure effective access to the procedure for granting international protection[1]. Frontex has never before suspended its activities in an EU Member State.
In January 2021, Hungary recorded over 3 400 attempted border crossings (as opposed to a monthly tally in the hundreds in 2019)[2], as the country is on the Balkan migrant route, which is used by many illegal immigrants hoping to reach Schengen area countries.
Since the closure of the Serbian-Hungarian border, illegal immigrants have been arriving in Europe via another route which is becoming increasingly popular. In January 2021 there were said to be nearly 8 000 illegal immigrants on the outskirts of the towns of Bihać and Velika Kladuša in Bosnia and Herzegovina[3].
- 1.Does the Commission have any information on the precise location of Frontex interventions in Hungary?
- 2.What is the Commission’s assessment of the danger of Frontex withdrawing from the Serbian-Hungarian border for security in the Union?
- 3.Can the Commission give an estimate of the cost of a withdrawal by Frontex for the Borders Management Agency?
- [1] https://www.ouest-france.fr/monde/migrants/frontex-qui-ne-veut-pas-etre-tenue-pour-complice-claque-la-porte-en-hongrie-7135480
- [2] https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/la-hongrie-rouvre-un-poste-frontiere-ferme-suite-a-une-manifestation-de-migrants-20200207
- [3] https://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_refugies-la-route-des-balkans-une-dangereuse-impasse-europeenne?id=10673669