Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ivan Anušić stated that current circumstances do not require army engagement at the border, while Interior Minister Davor Božinović emphasized that Croatia will not become a migrant hub.
Following the migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, which sparked heightened public interest and debates about protecting the European Union's external borders, key Croatian officials have spoken out. Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ivan Anušić clearly stated that there is no need to send the Croatian Army to the state border, while Interior Minister Davor Božinović highlighted Croatia's success in overseeing one of the EU's longest external borders.
Defense Minister Ivan Anušić, commenting on proposals by certain political options to deploy the army at the border, said such a move is unnecessary. "There is no need to spread panic. As for the army at the borders, the army goes to the borders under certain circumstances. These are not those circumstances," Anušić told Croatia Today. He added that the event in the Spanish enclave occurred under specific conditions and that the Croatian police continue to effectively monitor the border.
Anušić emphasized that the migrant crisis is not a new phenomenon and that Croatia has been successfully dealing with it for a decade. He criticized those who, as he stated, spread panic and untruths for media attention. "Unfortunately, there are too many who, for a bit of media attention and spotlight, spread panic, untruths, and sensationalist headlines-all that confuses the public. That should not be done," the Defense Minister said, as reported by Croatia Today.
Interior Minister Davor Božinović reported that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman, and the Croatian Commissioner in the European Commission have been in intensive contact with colleagues from other member states since Friday, exchanging information and analyzing the situation's development. He stressed that the situation in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has practically calmed down and that almost all migrants who entered that territory have been returned to Morocco.
Božinović pointed out that the European Union treated this incident as a common European problem, not just a Spanish one, which is an approach Croatia has advocated from the beginning. "The European Union treated the incursion or attack on the territory of a member state as a European problem, not just a Spanish one. That is exactly what Croatia has always advocated," Božinović said, as reported by Teleskop.hr.
The Minister added that Croatia has joined the initiative of 22 EU member state leaders calling for an extraordinary meeting of interior ministers. The meeting's goal would be to consider the events in Ceuta and the broader issue of protecting the Union's external borders. He reminded that Ceuta is located on the African continent and that the Spanish enclaves in North Africa are not part of the Schengen area, meaning migrants did not cross onto European soil.
The Interior Minister firmly stated that Croatia will not allow itself to become a collection center for migrants. "We have not allowed Croatia to become some kind of 'hub' where migrants would gather, and we will not allow it, primarily for our own sake," Božinović said. He emphasized that Europe cannot take in everyone who would like to live there and that Croatia is particularly aware of this because it protects one of the EU's longest external borders.
As proof of the Croatian police's effectiveness, Božinović presented data on arrested smugglers. "This year, we have already arrested 645 smugglers; last year, 1,076. So, 24 hours a day, the Croatian police are engaged at the external borders precisely to ensure that no one thinks Croatia can be easily entered," he said. He also noted that financial resources for equipping the Ministry of the Interior have significantly increased, from an initial €85 million to over €350 million over ten years, while the new multi-annual financial framework will allow for the withdrawal of more than €1.3 billion from EU funds.
Božinović added that smugglers closely monitor political and judicial decisions and interpret them in their own way to encourage migrant waves, which must be stopped through joint EU efforts. He also asserted that the welcome Europe extended in 2015 and 2016 will never be repeated.
On the other hand, the Homeland Movement, as part of the ruling coalition, warned of the seriousness of the situation. In its statement, as reported by Croatia Today, it assessed that "the chaotic scenes showing the helplessness of Spanish security forces before tens of thousands of migrants are an alarm echoing throughout the European Union." The party criticized "failed open-border policies" and warned of the possibility of coordinated action by foreign actors who could create unrest at external borders for political reasons, which is a particular warning for Croatia due to its environment.
The Homeland Movement also stated that if Schengen does not function and common rules on border protection and the return of persons without the right to stay are not implemented, member states have the sovereign right to take full responsibility for protecting their own borders, both external and internal.
