(Photo credit Dear refugees: Welcome to Croatia Facebook Page)
An initial warm welcome in Croatia for those barred from entering Hungary.
As Hungary closed its border with Serbia and enacted tough new migrant rules, the human trail to a better life in countries such as Germany and Sweden has turned to Croatia, where the welcome of the police and general public has been much more forthcoming.
“We will treat the refugees humanely,” Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic announced on Wednesday via Twitter. “The ones who are seeking asylum will go to centers… If it’s necessary, we’ll organize routes for passage.” The sentiment was echoed by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, who urged residents to open their homes.
Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic has said Croatia will allow people passage through the company “to where they apparently wish to go”. On the actions of Hungary, he had this to say: “These people are here … They do not want to come to Croatia or Hungary either and that is why I do not understand where is the problem of letting them pass through that country.”
The numbers crossing into Croatia at the moment are relatively small compared to people passing through Hungary in recent weeks, and a major influx could bring about a change of approach, something Ostojic hinted at today:
“If migrants continued to arrive in larger numbers, Croatia would have to consider an entirely different approach,” Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said in a statement on Thursday.
While the Croatian border with Hungary does not have the wall erected on the Serbian frontier, the new migrant laws will mean that Slovenia – unlike Croatia, part of Schengen – is the next destination. Prime Minister Milanovic has suggested a safe corridor through the two countries, something that has been rejected by Slovenia.
With Austria now imposing border controls with Slovenia, it remains to be seen how long the border crossings to Slovenia will be so open. Should that close, then the options from Croatia are ferry to Italy or via Hungary, or being stuck in Croatia.
The people of Croatia have responded positively to the crisis, with one Facebook group Dear Refugees: Welcome to Croatia providing helpful information for the new arrivals. Check out the page here for the latest updates, and find some typically useful info posted on the page below.
