the european border agency known as frontex remains at the center of controversy and considerable doubt. in recent days the plenary of the european parliament voted on the budget control commission’s recommendation, rejecting it by 345 votes to 284 with 8 abstentions. the 2020 accounts showed serious errors and other irregularities under the leadership of former executive director fabrice leggeri, who left the post at the end of april. the european anti fraud office olaf is involved in its investigations.
the european parliament has expressed concern that frontex is not taking the necessary steps to guarantee the protection of fundamental rights for immigrants and refugees. journalistic reports indicate that frontex may have participated in the illegal return of at least 957 refugees between march 2020 and september 2021. the plenary regrets that the agency in warsaw did not meet several conditions outlined in previous budget and governance assessments and calls for an immediate suspension of participation in the return of migrants and asylum seekers. concerns extend to hungary and the rule of law in the country.
regarding the situation in greece, the reports also raise questions about potential illegal returns and associated agency staff involvement. meps urge the european commission to ensure such actions do not recur and lament that the agency had not hired at least 40 fundamental rights monitors by december 5, 2020, a requirement stated in its obligations. the report notes the suicide of a staff member amid allegations of sexual harassment and highlights that 17 cases of sexual harassment were reported in 2020, of which 15 received little or no follow up.
the measures proposed signal a significant shift. there is a strong call from meps that public funding must not support human rights violations at european borders. one greens mep, ernest urtaun, welcomed the development saying parliament is sending a clear message: no more impunity and no more mass returns at borders. another speaker, damien carme, criticized those who disagree with frontex and prefer to see a more lenient border regime, while jeroen lenaers commented on the political dynamics involved in border management.
leggeri’s resignation
the budget vote had been scheduled for may, but leggeri’s resignation pushed the process back until the full olaf report could be published. the report reportedly identified systematic breaches during heated operations in the aegean and observed attempts by some border guards to obscure actions. parliament retains exclusive control over budgetary approvals, including authorizing, delaying, or withholding funds. as a major european authority, it expects other institutions to be accountable for the use of public money.
despite the setback for frontex, members of the european parliament welcomed the appointment of an interim director in july 2022, noted corrective measures already taken or planned, and recognized changes aimed at strengthening fundamental rights. meps also warned that the agency’s difficulties may reflect deeper governance and structural issues rather than isolated behaviors by a few individuals, a view echoed by some members of the administration board.