A senior official from Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has stated that the European Commission should sanction Greece for its mistreatment of migrants. Speaking to Welt and Politico, the agency’s Fundamental Rights Officer emphasized the need for consequences, saying, “There must be some kind of punishment. The Commission itself is capable of initiating infringement proceedings against a member state,” Grimheden said. “Frontex cannot solve the problem alone.” Greece is currently under scrutiny in 13 active cases involving alleged human rights violations against migrants – more than any other EU country, according to the report.

According to a Politico’s report, Fundamental Rights Officer Jonas Grimheden, who makes recommendations to the organization’s management board, said Greece’s behavior presented Frontex with two options: suspending its mission, or asking the European Commission to open infringement proceedings against Greece.

Grimheden expressed support for the latter, arguing that sanctions are the better route. “If Frontex were to leave Greece, there would no longer be any way to learn how the authorities are dealing with arriving migrants. The agency ensures monitoring and transparency,” he said.

“There must be some kind of punishment. The Commission itself is capable of initiating infringement proceedings against a member state,” Grimheden said. “Frontex cannot solve the problem alone.”

He also suggested the Commission could link Greece’s progress on the human rights of migrants to its access to funds. In an extreme case, if Athens continues to shirk its responsibilities to migrants, the Commission could initiate legal proceedings before the Court of Justice of the EU.

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