The Maritime Border: Where European 'Values' Meet Lethal Enforcement
THE ACTORS: The Hellenic Coast Guard, an agency operating under the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, is directly involved. The migrants involved are refugees and asylum seekers, predominantly from conflict zones and economically distressed regions. Key European political figures and institutions, such as the European Commission and Frontex (the European Border and Coast Guard
Agency), are tacit actors due to their policy directives and financial support. THE FUNDING: Greece's border enforcement efforts, including its coast guard operations, are significantly subsidized by the European Union. For the 2014-2020 funding period, Greece received approximately €1.6 billion from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF), a portion
of which was allocated to border management infrastructure and operations (European Commission, 2021). Frontex, which frequently deploys its assets and personnel to assist Greek authorities, had a budget of €845 million in 2023, expanding its operational capabilities in the Aegean Sea (Frontex, 2023 Annual Report). This funding directly supports the 'pursuit' operations that often escalate to
tragic outcomes. THE INCENTIVES: The primary incentive for this aggressive posture is political: to deter further migration and reduce perceived 'pull factors' into the European Union. This aligns with a broader 'fortress Europe' narrative championed by increasingly populist governments within the EU. The Greek government, specifically, aims to demonstrate robust border control to its European