Tomorrow #Germany will take over the Presidency of the @EUCouncil from Croatia. On this occasion German and international activist groups and NGOs criticize the German government's support of the systematic #HumanRightsViolations in the Balkans
@EU2020DE https://www.borderviolence.eu/germany-must-actively-promote-the-respect-of-human-rights-and-the-rule-of-law-at-the-eu-borders-during-its-eu-council-presidency/

The undersigning organizations point to the brutal, illegal collective expulsions, so called #pushbacks which have become established as informal protection of #EU external borders in the #Balkan region following the official closure of the route.

The German Government denies having any knowledge of the systematic human rights violations committed by the #Croatian police and refers to the responsibility of the @EU_Commission.

@RegSprecher

However, in 2018, Chancellor Angela Merkel even praised the actions of the #Croatian security forces as "outstanding work" and in January 2020, Interior Minister #Seehofer donated surveillance equipment for #border protection to Croatia.

#Germany is also participating in #Frontex training missions for Croatian border guards, most recently in December 2019 in Sankt Augustin and in February 2020 in Valbandon in #Croatia.

All this supports the #Croatian approach and even led to the Croatian Minister of the Interior @DavorBozinovic describing #Germany as an appreciative partner in border management.

The #PoliceViolence at Croatia's borders is not a national phenomenon, but the implementation of an #EU #refugee and #migration policy based on violence and deterrence that was established in several countries in the #Balkan region within the last few years.

Five years after the March of Hope the undersigning organisations call on the Federal Government to work during Germany's EU Council Presidency for an end to violence against those seeking protection and to no longer support the massive and well-documented human rights violations