German navy personnel say Greeks have refused to let refugee vessels land in Greece and pushed them back in the direction of Turkish waters. They say they have observed several such incidents.
German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reports that three such incidents were documented in June.
A member of parliament in Berlin, Andrej Hunko, demands that the EU’s Frontex border patrolling force be stopped in Greece.
Hunko has asked the government of conservatives and social democrats whether the crews of German ships or planes had seen in the Aegean the Greek coast guard or ships of the Frontex force stop refugee vessels or “pushed them into Turkish waters”.
The government responded that such an incident had been observed from the mission group supply ship “Berlin” on 19 June.
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The “Berlin” currently leads the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in the Aegean. It is tasked to watch over the sea area in coordination with the riparian states, Frontex and regional search and rescue groups.
“The federal government is in constant contact with the Greek government and points to valid regulations under international law,” the government said.
Asked to comment on reports in social media about a similar incident south of Lesvos island the weekend before last, the Greek coast guard said, “We know nothing about that“.
Meanwhile the German interior minister, Horst Seehofer, has forbidden the eastern state of Thuringia to take in more refugees than agreed from disastrously overcrowded camps on Greek islands.
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The corona pandemic has delayed the agreed intake of refugees. Several EU countries had agreed to admit a total of about 1,600 minors from the islands, some of whom are seriously ill.