ZAGREB (Reuters) -Croatia acknowledged on Friday that its police officers had participated in a violent pushback of migrants on the border with Bosnia, and Greece promised to investigate reports of similar action by its officials. Several European media outlets reported this week that Greek and Croatian officials were illegally and sometimes violently pushing back migrants. Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said on Friday he had told EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson that the claims would be investigated. Johansson earlier said EU countries needed to protect the bloc's external borders, but that they also had to uphold the rule of law and fundamental rights. Twelve migration and interior ministers from Austria, Denmark, Greece and eastern European countries wrote on Thursday to the European Commission calling for new tools to avoid, rather than have to deal with, overburdened migrant systems.

Source: The Star October 08, 2021 17:15 UTC