THE Fundamental rights officer
1.3. Field monitoring In 2022, the Fundamental Rights Office spent almost 1,000 days in the field.12
The following sections provide an outline of the main findings from fundamental rights monitoring activities, by country. The findings refer to countries where
Frontex had a more extensive presence in 2022 and where the Fundamental Rights Office conducted monitoring visits.
Monitoring of operational activities and field days per country and year Number of field days per country June - December 2021, January - December 2022 206 160
5
7
7
9
13
13
16 17
Be
lg iu Cr m oa Ko tia so G vo eo rg Fr ia N an or ce th M Ma a l M ced ta on o te nia ne H gro un ga Fi ry nl a Es nd to Sl nia ov ak Se ia rb Po ia la Cy nd p M ru ol s do v La a Bu tvi lg a Ro aria m Li an th ia ua n Al ia ba ni a Ita Sp ly a G in re ec e
4
97 73 60 51 43 39 39 35 36 25 25 28 29 31 34 25 13 11 4 3
2021 (from 1 June)
2022
1.3.1. Albania No allegations were reported involving Frontex deployed staff as perpetrators in incidents that could be considered violations of fundamental rights. On the other hand, the Fundamental Rights Office received continuous allegations of collective expulsions at the Albanian-Greek border and/or ill-treatment against migrants by national authorities. The Albanian authorities generally denied these allegations and declared as an isolated case one incident in which the Fundamental Rights Office gathered concrete evidence of one illegal return of migrants across the green border. Moreover, gaps were reported as regards ensuring information and access to asy-
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lum procedures. Specifically, when migrants would express to the border police their will to continue their journey to the EU, no follow-up question about need for international protection in Albania would be asked. The Fundamental Rights Office believes that such interpretation of the border police duties may result in the non-respect of the rights of potential asylum seekers. The national authorities assured the Fundamental Rights Office that they will change this practice to include in the relevant form a question regarding international protection needs. As regards activities carried out by Frontex deployed staff, the Fundamental Rights Office identified room for improvement as
regards a more proactive approach towards the identification of persons in need of international protection and vulnerable groups (including potential asylum seekers) during screening procedures. In 2022, the Fundamental Rights Office offered to organise for national authorities sessions to raise awareness among their staff on fundamental rights standards in border management. The Fundamental Rights Office also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Albanian Ombuds institution (People’s Advocate) on the handling of complaints by alleged victims of fundamental rights violations in connection to border management activities involving Frontex.
The field days do not include the monitoring of returns. For returns, see Chapter 1.4 Return Operations below.
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