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| EU gives Greece warning to fix border ‘neglect’ | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BRUSSELS — The European Commission warned Greece on Wednesday that it could face more controls along its borders with other states of the free-travel Schengen zone in May if it does not fix “serious deficiencies” in its management of the area’s external frontier. | BRUSSELS — The European Commission warned Greece on Wednesday that it could face more controls along its borders with other states of the free-travel Schengen zone in May if it does not fix “serious deficiencies” in its management of the area’s external frontier. |
| European Union countries have been increasingly critical of Athens’s handling of the continent’s worst migration crisis since World War II. More than 1 million migrants reached Europe last year, mainly through Greece. | European Union countries have been increasingly critical of Athens’s handling of the continent’s worst migration crisis since World War II. More than 1 million migrants reached Europe last year, mainly through Greece. |
| “If the necessary action is not being taken and deficiencies persist, there is a possibility to . . . allow member states to temporarily close their borders,” European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said at a news briefing. | “If the necessary action is not being taken and deficiencies persist, there is a possibility to . . . allow member states to temporarily close their borders,” European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said at a news briefing. |
| He was speaking after the commission, the E.U.’s executive body, accepted a report saying cash-strapped Athens had “seriously neglected” its obligations to fellow Schengen states. | He was speaking after the commission, the E.U.’s executive body, accepted a report saying cash-strapped Athens had “seriously neglected” its obligations to fellow Schengen states. |
| The use of that phrase could pave the way for E.U. governments to exercise the option of reinstalling controls on their national borders for up to two years once short-term measures in place expire in May. | The use of that phrase could pave the way for E.U. governments to exercise the option of reinstalling controls on their national borders for up to two years once short-term measures in place expire in May. |
| Several E.U. member states have instituted emergency controls on their borders and warned that they may effectively suspend Athens from the passport-free zone. Most of the irregular migrants arriving in the E.U. have come from Turkey via Greece and trekked northward to Germany. | Several E.U. member states have instituted emergency controls on their borders and warned that they may effectively suspend Athens from the passport-free zone. Most of the irregular migrants arriving in the E.U. have come from Turkey via Greece and trekked northward to Germany. |
| Dombrovskis said Greece was not effectively identifying or registering people arriving, not uploading fingerprinting data to relevant bases systematically and not checking travel documents properly and against key databases. | Dombrovskis said Greece was not effectively identifying or registering people arriving, not uploading fingerprinting data to relevant bases systematically and not checking travel documents properly and against key databases. |
| Greece responded by saying that E.U. interior ministers had concluded at a meeting on Monday that Turkey held the key for tackling the crisis and that it must deliver on agreed measures. | Greece responded by saying that E.U. interior ministers had concluded at a meeting on Monday that Turkey held the key for tackling the crisis and that it must deliver on agreed measures. |
| “We think that trying to isolate Greece is not constructive,” government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili said. | “We think that trying to isolate Greece is not constructive,” government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili said. |
| E.U. border agency Frontex said its mission to the Greek island of Lesbos in January showed improvements in registration procedures. But E.U. officials carried out an assessment in Greece in November that led to Wednesday’s conclusion alleging “serious deficiencies” in Greek frontier control. | E.U. border agency Frontex said its mission to the Greek island of Lesbos in January showed improvements in registration procedures. But E.U. officials carried out an assessment in Greece in November that led to Wednesday’s conclusion alleging “serious deficiencies” in Greek frontier control. |
| Gerovasili said that Greece’s request for support from Frontex had been only partially met and that a plan to relocate refugees had stalled, with only 414 out of 160,000 refugees relocated. | Gerovasili said that Greece’s request for support from Frontex had been only partially met and that a plan to relocate refugees had stalled, with only 414 out of 160,000 refugees relocated. |
| The step of imposing border controls can be taken for up to six months and can be renewed up to three times for a total of two years. | The step of imposing border controls can be taken for up to six months and can be renewed up to three times for a total of two years. |
| Greece has no land borders with the rest of the Schengen zone, so installing new frontier checks would affect only air and sea ports. | Greece has no land borders with the rest of the Schengen zone, so installing new frontier checks would affect only air and sea ports. |