Božinović welcomed the new EU measures against migration

On Monday, European Union interior ministers agreed on stricter rules in the fight against illegal migration, and Croatian Minister Davor Božinović welcomed them as measures that will discourage illegal migrants from moving towards Europe in the first place.

Greater deportation powers

At the Justice and Home Affairs Council, ministers approved measures that will give members greater powers to deport those who do not have the right to stay in the European Union and to establish centers for asylum seekers outside Europe.

The changes called for by the social democratic government of Denmark, the country that currently holds the EU presidency, include, among others, the expansion of the list of safe countries. Candidate countries for the EU, as well as Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia, are included, reported Reuters.

Solidarity Fund for countries under pressure

“An effective day in Brussels,” Božinović said after the meeting, calling the new measures a continuation of the policy that increasingly invests in migration control in Europe and prevents illegal migrants from abusing European legislation.

The Croatian minister emphasized that a stricter approach in other countries as well, especially from June next year, will demotivate a large number of illegal migrants from heading towards Europe in the first place.

The new acts also include a so-called solidarity fund, which will ask EU members to help countries under great pressure by taking part of the migrants or financially helping countries that do so.

Božinović welcomed the fact that Croatia, along with several other EU members, was exempted from that fund, and criticized those who predicted the opposite and announced a noose around the neck for Croatia.

“It is likely that pain will follow from their side because they only function when they spread panic,” he said.

"Croatia showed that it knows how to cope"

Božinović emphasized that in Brussels he heavy workload of Croatian police at the border was pointed out and the fact that over 64 million passengers and 24 million vehicles legally crossed Croatian territory this year.

“But Croatia has shown that it knows how to deal with it and continues to invest because it is the strategic approach of its government,” continued Božinović.

“And in the years to come, we don't expect any surprises. Therefore, all those who are afraid of population replacement, and I don't whatever they are sending to the media space, especially the space of social networks, their efforts are in vain,” said the Minister of the Interior.

Source: HRT