For now, Croatia will take about 50 refugees.
Croatian Interior Minister Vlaho Orepić announced in Brussels that Croatia will next month begin the process of relocation and settlement of refugees from Greece, Italy and directly from Syria, reports Večernji List on May 21, 2016.
Orepić was in Brussels where he took part in a meeting of interior ministers of the European Union member states. In addition to the issue of refugees, the participants of the meeting also discussed migration issues, visa system and the functioning of the Schengen Area.
“I announced that Croatia would start with the relocation and settlement process. On Tuesday next week, our liaison officers will go to Greece and Italy and we will start with the implementation of some of the obligations that we have agreed to accept”, said Orepić to journalists after the meeting.
It is expected that for now Croatia will take 10 refugees from Italy, 10 refugees from Greece, and 30 refugees directly from Syria.
Member states of the European Union have committed to ease the burden of refugees which are currently accommodated in Italy and Greece, countries on the external borders of the European Union, and relocate them in accordance with resources of each member state. It is a programme which should result in the relocation of refugees from countries on the EU’s external borders to other member states. They have also agreed on a program of relocation of refugees directly from third countries into the EU.
In total, it is expected that Croatia will accept about 1,600 people in the next two years.
