ZAGREB, October 27, 2018 – The date of the next National Security Council session, which will include discussion on the Croatian border, will be defined next week with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković told the national broadcaster HTV on Friday evening.
Asked if he knew what the president had decided regarding being the candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in the election run for another term as head of state, given that the party asked Grabar-Kitarović to state her intentions by autumn, Plenković briefly said “yes”, without revealing what the president had decided. “It is up to her to say that. When the time comes, she will inform the public about her decision,” the prime minister said.
“We did not yet agree on the date of the session of the National Security Council and we will discuss that next week, once we return to Zagreb. After that, a trip to China is scheduled so the National Security Council will be convened either next week or in 15 days,” Plenković said.
President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović said on Thursday there were already plenty of topics for discussion by the National Security Council and that she was “constantly proposing” that the Council convened. Speaking to reporters, she said the Council must convene sooner or later. “Four times a year, as agreed. And if the Council convenes, don’t think there is a state of emergency in the country.”
Asked about the migrant situation at the Maljevac border crossing, Plenković said Croatia was strengthening its capacities to protect the border and it respected the agreement with the European Union.
The migrant influx, following a large migrant wave in 2015/2016. is down 98%, Plenković said adding that together with its EU partners, Croatia has strengthened the protection of the EU external border. He also said that Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović was constantly in contact with his Bosnia and Herzegovina counterpart and the relevant EU commissioner regarding the situation at the Maljevac border crossing.
The Maljevac border crossing between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia remained closed on Thursday morning after a large group of migrants attempted to cross the border illegally on Wednesday, and the Croatian police spent the night on alert, but did not need to intervene.
On Thursday morning, the migrants were 150 metres away from the borderline and were under the control of Bosnian police.
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