Posted on 01/21/2007 11:37:21 AM PST by lizol
Border agency in Warsaw struggles to find staff
By Sarah Laitner in Brussels
Published: January 20 2007 02:00 | Last updated: January 20 2007 02:00
A European Union border agency at the centre of efforts to curb illegal immigration to Europe is struggling to hire experts, with some foreigners unwilling to relocate to its Polish headquarters.
Staff shortages at Warsaw-based Frontex could leave the agency unable to co-ordinate joint naval patrols on the EU's southern borders this spring, when thousands are expected to arrive by boat from northern Africa.
Ilkka Laitinen, Frontex executive director, said: "Recruitment is a challenge for our young organisation. In particular, potential candidates can be reluctant to relocate to Warsaw, where wages are significantly lower than in the west."
His comments come as concern rises over how to manage migratory flows to the EU, which in the past have led to dramatic images of boatloads of Africans landing in Spain, Italy and Malta. Under growing pressure to act, EU leaders have called on Frontex to step up its work this year, a little over a year after the agency was established.
However, Mr Laitinen told the Financial Times: "At a time when member states expect us to become more active, we cannot face these growing expectations with our existing workforce alone."
The difficulties in increasing Frontex's workforce from 90 to 130 by the middle of this year raise questions about efforts to locate nascent EU agencies in the eight former communist countries that joined the Union in 2004. Member states are locked in dispute over whether to house the headquarters of the EU's new satellite communications system in Prague.
The recruitment problems at Frontex have already led to the delay of two or three projects, Mr Laitinen said.
Frontex's annual budget is expected nearly to double to €34m ($44m, £22m) this year, but it cannot use the money to increase wages because these are set under an EU formula under which the agency's employees at Frontex are paid three-quarters of the salary of a Brussels-based official.
The agency, which wants to hire border guards and specialist police officers, is also pressing for incentive packages for employees as the cost of living in Warsaw rises to western levels.
Mr Laitinen said: "There is a danger that without full co-operation from member states, and enough staff, we would have too few activities on which to spend the extra money that we are due to receive next year."
Spain has led calls for more EU action on illegal immigration. At least 26,000 west Africans have arrived in the Canaries in 2006, five times the number in 2005.
Brussels estimates that a total of 3,000-4,000 people drowned in the past two years trying to reach the EU.
I'm sure there would be a lot of people willing to accept being paid "three-quarters of the salary of a Brussels-based official".
I think it's due to EU regulations, that certain member country is entitled to get certain percentage of posts in EU agencies.
There are probably still some old East German border guards out of work.
Hmm, the border problem seems to be universal in the developed countries.
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