Fresh off the heels of the Greek election that saw the center-right, anti-mass migration New Democracy party cruise to a resounding victory, securing over 40% of the national vote, Brussels has demanded an independent investigation to be carried out over alleged ‘migrant pushbacks’ and threatened to take “formal steps” against Greece.
The demand from the European Commission, which has left-liberal, pro-mass migration activist politicians placed in key leadership positions, follows video footage captured by an Austrian activist on the Greek island of Lesbos—published by the New York Times on Friday, May 19th—that allegedly shows Greek authorities carrying out ‘migrant pushbacks,’ the Athens-based newspaper To Pontiki reports.
EU Home Affairs Commission Ylva Johansson (S&D) on Monday, May 22nd, just one day after the Greek election, revealed that her office had contacted authorities in Athens, demanding that an independent investigation into the alleged incident take place.
“My services have sent a formal request to Greek authorities that this incident be fully and independently investigated,” Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson (S&D) wrote on Twitter.
“It is necessary that proper follow-up is taken by Greek authorities, also based on the new independent monitoring mechanism and the EU Commission stands ready to take formal steps, as appropriate,” she added.
While Johansson may be eager to move forward with the investigation, the European Commission has stated that it will not initiate immediate action, given that the inquiry is currently the responsibility of Greek prosecutors, the Ombudsman, and the National Transparency Authority.
During a press conference on Monday, Dana Spinant, the deputy spokesperson of the European Commission, stated: “We are not going to draw conclusions and announce actions or activity that we take before becoming aware of the conclusions of that investigation which will be carried out at the national level.”
For years, NGOs have repeatedly accused authorities in Greece of engaging in such pushbacks—accusations that Athens has continually and adamantly denied. Furthermore, all investigations conducted by Greek authorities into such allegations have cleared the relevant government agencies, namely the coast guard and military, of any wrongdoing.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis has repeatedly defended his government’s strict migration policy, noting that the massive support his party enjoys is clear proof that the Greek public is on his side when it comes to migration.
EU member states situated on the south and eastern flanks of the bloc, perhaps most notably Greece and Italy, have raised the issue that their countries are disproportionately and unfairly burdened by illegal mass migration. Despite many efforts to do so, the EU, thus far, has failed to agree on a scheme that would see illegal migrants and asylum seekers redistributed throughout the entire bloc.
