Right opposition for army on border, left says migrants are no threat

Zagreb - Speaking ahead of a debate on illegal migration, the right opposition said the army should be deployed at key points on the border to prevent illegal entries, while the left opposition said migrants were not a threat to Croatia and that the right was fomenting citizens' fears ahead of elections.

We see what is going on in Sweden, Denmark and France, and if we want Croatia to remain safe, the army should go to the key points on the border and prevent illegal entry, said Marin Miletić (Bridge).

The army on the border is not an exception as 13 European countries have deployed it, Bridge MPs said.

The Croatian border is permeable, migrants are walking around Croatia and we don't know where they are, said Marin Pavliček (Sovereignists). "You don't want to put the army on key points and a fence towards Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia," he told the majority, adding that a barrier would not separate Croats from BiH as they enter Croatia at legal border crossings.

Nevenko Barbarić of the ruling HDZ said a wire-fence on the BiH border would disrupt relations and permanently undermine the status of Croats in BiH.

Danijel Spajić (Homeland Movement) is satisfied with the job the police are doing, calling on them to "be harsh and guard the Croatian border."

Dalija Orešković (Centre) said migrants were not a threat to Croatia and that it was sad to listen to citizens' fears being fomented ahead of next year's elections. The real problem and threat are elsewhere, the problem is that Croatia is not a state where someone wants to come and stay, she added.

Domagoj Hajduković (Social Democrats) said he trusted the border police and that those invoking the army meant the border police were not doing their job. "What will the army do on the border? Shoot at people?"

Dario Zurovec (Fokus) said Croatia had made some wrong moves. However, he added, our police who deal with migrants are underpaid and the Interior Ministry has to "cadge" money from the EU via projects.

Emil Daus (Istrian Democratic Party) applauded the job the police are doing, but wondered if they have the necessary manpower and equipment.