The coordinators of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties decided on Monday 5 December in the evening to put their trust in Dutchman Hans Leijtens to succeed Fabrice Leggeri as Executive Director of the Frontex Agency, several sources reported.
The Dutchman was slightly ahead of the current interim Director, Latvian Aija Kalnaja, who was seen by some as too representative of the ‘Leggeri era’. Some would also have liked her to decide to suspend Frontex activities in Greece and Hungary (countries where Frontex continues to support return operations).
The Croatian Terezija Gras’ profile was considered too low and her record in the Croatian government, accused of turning back and abusing migrants at the external borders, was detrimental.
This non-binding opinion has been transmitted to the Frontex Management Board, which will take its decision in December.
At his hearing on 30 November, Hans Leijtens called for a renewed duty of transparency regarding Frontex’s activities (see EUROPE 13074/14). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)