Central among the Commissioner’s concerns is the persistent allegation of illegal “pushbacks” — the forced return of migrants without due process — in the Evros region and the Aegean Sea.

The European Court of Human Rights concluded that there was strong evidence Greece employs a system of illegally pushing back third-country nationals.

The Court ruled that Greece was obligated to pay the applicants – three Syrian nationals - €80,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage