Hans Leijtens, head of Frontex, panals to transform the agency's customs within a three-year timespan.
Take a Sneak Peek into Frontex's Future with Leijtens
Hans Leijtens, the Executive Director of Frontex, is shaking things up in the European border control agency two years into his role. His main goal? Transforming the organization and promoting the safety of vulnerable refugees and migrants.
Leijtens expresses a strong ambition to change Frontex's culture over the next three years. Transparency, he believes, is crucial - and one area where he diverges from a US-led trend: increased gender and identity diversity in the organization.
"It's about recruitment, it's about being a fair organization, being a diverse organization, not just in gender, but also in nationalities," he says to The Europe Conversation. The challenge lies in transforming a culture that can be tough to bend, but Leijtens remains optimistic.
For years, Frontex has been in the headlines due to the policy of "pushbacks" - driving migrant ships back into international waters where countless individuals have perished. Unfortunately, a report from OLAF (EU anti-fraud office) in 2022 uncovered Frontex's alleged complicity in illegal pushbacks under the previous leadership.
However, Leijtens insists that Frontex must work within its mandate, and that the coast guard of a country like Greece bears primary responsibility for ensuring migrant safety. He laments that Greece has yet to comply fully with international law, expectating cooperation from all partner nations.
When asked about a tragic incident like the Adriana ship capsize in June 2023, which led to the loss of 600 lives, Leijtens acknowledged that Frontex alerted the Greek authorities but emphasized that the agency does not coordinate rescue efforts. He noted that his team proposed sending additional planes twice, but both requests were ignored by the Greek authorities.
Leijtens acknowledges the criticism regarding Frontex's role in such incidents and stresses the need for accountability. He has made it clear that he would prefer partner countries to fully investigate any incidents and take appropriate action.
As Frontex moves forward, Leijtens' emphasis on transparency, internal reform, and a proactive approach to migrant safety are shaping the agency's future direction.
- The pivotal role of Hans Leijtens, the Executive Director of Frontex, becomes increasingly apparent as he works to transform the organization, emphasizing the safety of vulnerable refugees and migrants, and promoting transparency and diversity within the agency.
- In the midst of ongoing general-news about Frontex's policy of 'pushbacks' and allegations of complicity in illegal actions, Leijtens maintains that the organization must work within its mandate and advocates for the primary responsibility of coast guards like Greece in ensuring migrant safety.
- The tragedies, such as the Adriana ship capsize in June 2023 that resulted in the loss of 600 lives, highlight the need for accountability, and Leijtens, as the head of Frontex, stresses the importance of partner countries conducting thorough investigations and taking appropriate action to prevent such incidents in the future.
