Europe’s border agency seeks answers from Greece on alleged illegal deportations of migrants

By DEREK GATOPOULOS and NICHOLAS PAPHITIS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — An official says the European Union’s border agency has asked for “clarifications and information” from Greece’s coast guard on two alleged cases of migrants crossing by boat being illegally deported back to Turkey. The official said on Friday that the letter from Frontex referred to two alleged incidents on April 11 and 22 off the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos — a major destination for migrants crossing from the nearby Turkish coast in small boats. Athens has been repeatedly accused of dumping migrants who enter Greek waters back inside Turkey’s maritime jurisdiction without allowing them to apply for asylum — an illegal practice known as “pushbacks.” Greece denies the allegations.