Božinović in Brussels: EU Prepares a More Coordinated Response
EU interior ministers said Schengen is not the problem but the solution, and Spain revised the number of illegal entries to 72,000.
EU interior ministers said Schengen is not the problem but the solution, and Spain revised the number of illegal entries to 72,000.
The European Union is preparing a more coordinated and robust response to the migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, as stated after a meeting of EU interior ministers held in Brussels on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Among them was Croatian Minister Davor Božinović, who highlighted Croatia's priorities and experience in protecting external borders.
Spain, with the support of 22 member states including Croatia, raised the issue of Ceuta at the European level. According to Božinović, this sent a clear message that security challenges at the borders of one member state represent a challenge for the entire Union. The minister described the atmosphere at the meeting as balanced, without mutual accusations among member states, and with solidarity shown towards Spain.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated after the meeting that member states agreed that "Schengen is not the problem, but the solution." He added that "all member states, without exception, expressed solidarity with Spain." European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner assessed that Europe's resilience was tested but that it "passed that test," emphasizing that "the Schengen area was never in danger."
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska revised the crisis figures at the meeting. According to new data from Madrid, 72,000 migrants illegally entered Spanish territory, significantly higher than the previously reported 50,000. Around 70,000 of them have since returned to Morocco. More than 70 people died during the migrant crisis in Ceuta.
Minister Božinović expressed satisfaction that the European Commission has for the first time opened a discussion on the concept of safe third countries, which Croatia has advocated for years. "People coming from countries thousands of kilometers away to Croatia pass through a series of safe countries. If the international protection system is consistently applied, asylum should be sought in the first safe country," said Božinović.
He emphasized that current migrant flows show that a large number of people come to the EU primarily for economic reasons, as confirmed by statements from migrants involved in the events in Ceuta. He stressed that humanity and security are not opposing concepts and that the EU will continue to provide protection to those in need while simultaneously preventing illegal migration and fighting more decisively against human smuggling networks. "Croatia speaks about migration from ten years of experience in protecting the EU's external border. We entered the Schengen area and significantly improved police equipment with European funds," he added.
As an example of the scale of the human smuggling problem, Božinović cited the fact that Croatian police have arrested 698 smugglers this year alone. He emphasized that illegal transportation of goods represents not only a migration issue but also a significant security risk that directly endangers lives.
In the coming weeks, a detailed analysis of the circumstances that led to the crisis in Ceuta will be prepared, including the spread of disinformation via social media. The results will serve as a basis for a new meeting of interior ministers in early October 2026 and a subsequent discussion at the European Council. One of the conclusions of the meeting is further investment in infrastructure at external borders, such as radar systems.
Božinović also commented on the explosion in Bosiljevo in which three people were injured, recalling the national campaign "Less Weapons, Less Tragedies." So far, citizens have voluntarily handed over over 370,000 pieces of weapons, 6.7 million pieces of ammunition, 6.5 million explosive devices, and more than 6,000 pieces of pyrotechnics through this initiative. He also noted that 93 percent of people with illegal weapons receive a suspended sentence, which he considers insufficiently deterrent.
