On 31 August 2021, an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Interior on the situation in Afghanistan was held, at the invitation of the Slovenian Presidency, with the participation of the Croatian Minister Davor Božinović, PhD
Source: MOI
The meeting focused on migration and security challenges, the importance of preventing a new mass migrant wave, the protection of external borders and the provision of international protection to the most vulnerable groups.
The meeting also agreed on a joint statement in response to a potential migration challenge that the European Union is determined to: prevention of massive irregular migration movements as it has faced in the past, protection of its external borders by carrying out security checks using existing and new information systems at the EU level, as well as continuation of dismantling smuggling groups, and stepping up the communication to respond to the narratives of these groups encouraging migrants and refugees to use uncertain and irregular routes to Europe.
Regarding the admission of Afghan nationals, the Republic of Croatia has shown solidarity and joined the initiative of the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) and received 19 persons. All 19 people arrived in the Republic of Croatia and were adequately accommodated and applied for international protection.
Minister Božinović called for financial support to Member States to also focus on strengthening counter-terrorism capacities and stressed that the exchange of information and data with Member States and third countries is now of utmost importance. He also stressed the importance of stepping up efforts to counter migrant smuggling and firearms. He called for a political decision on Croatia’s membership of the Schengen area to be as soon as possible, in order to strengthen the security of the European Union in the interest of all its Member States.
More information about the meeting can be found
here.
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