Brussels, 08/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - Frontex, the European Agency that coordinates frontier management systems, does not have enough resources for successfully carrying out its mission to combat illegal immigration, said Agency Director Ilka Laitinen, of Finland. Frontex “does not have enough means”, Laitinen said during a debate held end November at the European Parliament in Brussels. Frontex is currently conducting more than 20 joint operations, including this summer's missions to the Canary Islands and to Malta. “Member States are still the ones in charge of controlling the borders; that's the starting point”, he added. In his view, Frontex, which has 72 staff and €32.2 million budget for 2007, has enough resources only for ongoing operations. He explained that his organisation's capability depends on its financial means and on the willingness of national governments to act jointly. The chairman of the relevant parliamentary committee, Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE, France), pointed out that the level of funding granted to Frontex by EU governments illustrates their inability to deal effectively with migration-related problems. He was backed on this by all MEPs at the committee and especially by Augustin Diaz de Mera (EPP-ED, Spain), who stressed that the Member States make Frontex a “scapegoat to cover the shortcomings of their national immigration policies”. (bc)