Božinović: Border security is not defended with noise, wires and Facebook statuses

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Davor Božinović defended the Law on International and Temporary Protection in Parliament, which regulates the standards for the reception of asylum seekers, saying that Croatia's contribution to border security is great and that this security is not defended with noise, wires and Facebook statuses, but with responsible policy.

He pointed out that this law continues the harmonization of national legislation with that of the European Union adopted within the framework of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the full implementation of which begins on June 12 of this year.

He emphasized that Croatian migration policy is not shaped by impressions but by experiences and concrete data, which show that the number of expressed intentions for asylum fell by 44 percent last year, and 25 out of a total of 1,236 formally submitted applications were granted asylum.

He also said that the number of illegal border crossings fell by 44 percent, and that the number of illegal crossings prevented increased by 53 percent. Last year, 1,076 smugglers were arrested, and since the beginning of this year, 427 of them.

“These data are not accidental, but the result of the systematic, determined and professional work of the Croatian police. All these facts show that border security is not defended by noise, wires and Facebook statuses, but by an orderly system and continuous responsible policy. We do not choose between humanity and security, we choose responsible humanity,” said Minister Davor Božinović.

He added that only if we have an orderly system and if we are open to legal routes, we close the space to illegals, smugglers and chaos.

“It's not opening, but it's not closing either, but quick protection for those who are in real need and an even faster return for those who abuse the system. Asylum was not and will not be a tourist visa for passage through Croatia to other countries in Europe or Schengen members,” he said.

He added that Croatia is preparing its list of safe third countries in consultation with the European Commission and all requests from persons from those countries will be rejected.

Božinović rejected claims that nothing has been done for years

Božo Petrov from the MOST party told the minister that he should receive applause for his performance in the theater.

“You did not arrive, but the European Union changed the table because they are burning under their fingers, so they gave you the freedom to act,” said Petrov.

The minister rejected claims that nothing has been done for years and that there was chaos.

“We had an average of 600 migrants who spent the night in Croatia. Today we have 600. Tomorrow we may have only a few migrants less,” he replied.

Damir Biloglav (DOMiNO party) asked the minister what is happening with the reception center in Željeva near Korenica, considering that the capacity of the existing centers is significantly larger and whether there is a need for the center near Korenica to open at all.

“I ask you because the concern of the people in that area is quite high. These are people who live from tourism. Bihać is nearby. People have bad experiences in Bihać,” he said.

“I am sure that setting up a police station on the border through which the largest number of illegal migrants come and enter our country can only be beneficial for the security of that area,” Božinović replied.

Sandra Krpan from the SDP was interested in whether Croatian institutions keep official records of deaths of migrants and missing persons at the border, whether there is a single record and whether this data is publicly available.

The minister said that unfortunately people also die because they want to come at any cost and then seek the riskiest parts of the border to enter Croatia. He pointed out that 22 people have died this year.

“We are not leaving them completely to their fate because the police saved 52 migrants from certain death this year,” Božinović said.

IDS party member Dalibor Paus was interested in whether the changes to the laws that tighten and accelerate the procedures in the Dublin Agreement will lead to more people being returned to Croatia.

The minister replied that analyses show that this will not happen.

“At the moment, around 60 percent of migrants entering Croatia have passed through at least one EU member state before entering or arriving at the Croatian borders, namely Greece or Bulgaria. So the Dublin procedure will certainly not end in Croatia, as it has not done so far,” said Božinović.

SDP's Sanja Bježančević asked the minister whether one guardian can provide quality care for 30 children arriving unaccompanied, given that most of them are traumatized children, to which the minister replied that this can be discussed and that this is a standard agreed upon at the level of the 27 EU member states.

Source: HRT