Frontex agency sends more guards to Greece to help protect EU’s border

The European border protection agency, Frontex, says it has deployed another 100 guards to Greece to help protect the EU’s frontier there from the pressure of migrants.

Warsaw-based Frontex said on Friday the deployment of guards from 22 member states is part of a rapid border intervention requested by Athens. The assistance will also include vessels, maritime surveillance aircraft and thermal-vision Vehicles, for the Frontex maritime Rapid Border Intervention task, Aegean 2020, AP reports.

Greece has been trying to stop a massive wave of migrants pushing in from Turkey, in a crisis that erupted last month. Athens says more than 45,000 attempted entries have been thwarted. Frontex already has more than 500 officers in Greece, as well as 11 vessels and other equipment.

“The presence of 100 officers from all around Europe underlines the fact that the protection of the European area of freedom, security and justice is a shared responsibility of all member states,” Frontex quoted its executive director, Fabrice Leggeri, as having said during the launch of the operation in the Greek town of Orestiada. The rapid border interventions are planned for two months but can be extended if needed.