NEWS

Frontex gets 291 border guards for Greece and Italy; another 436 needed

Frontex gets 291 border guards for Greece and Italy; another 436 needed

Nineteen European countries will provide 291 border guards to Frontex so that they can be immediately deployed to Greece and Italy and work in hotspots that help identify and register refugees and migrants, the agency announced on Tuesday.

According to its press release, Frontex requested at the start of October 775 border guards from EU member-states and Schengen Associated Countries to assist the two countries in handling the record numbers of people arriving at their borders.

“We are facing a migratory and refugee crisis. Because of this, Frontex has called on member-states for the first time to provide such a large number of border guards. I appreciate that they have come through with the most officers ever offered,” said Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.

“I hope we can move much closer to our goal. For this reason, I would like to stress that Member States can continue sending their contributions even though the deadline for the call has passed,” he added.