The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has emphasized the importance of Contingent 5 of Frontex as a significant advance in the European Union’s efforts to improve the control of external borders.
During the inaugural ceremony of this new office, which will be led by Commander Marco Fantinato, the minister highlighted that this effort is part of a commitment of more than twenty years that began with Operation Hera.
Grande-Marlaska emphasized that the new Frontex model is based on cooperation and prevention, and not solely on reacting to migratory challenges. The minister urged the agency to expand its functions in collaboration with countries of origin and transit, highlighting that the true objective must be to prevent the departures of migrants, which in turn prevents them from risking their lives at sea.
The Frontex office in Lisbon will join the six existing contingents, developing 38 joint operations in the EU. In Spain, the agency already has personnel deployed in key regions such as the Canary Islands and Andalusia, and has operations like Minerva and Indalo, which reinforce the surveillance and management of migrants at critical points of the maritime border.