'Malicious, inaccurate and scandalous statements by some politicians'

Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Mektić said that 4,870 illegal migrants have been registered in BiH since the beginning of the year until May 27th, and that 4,215 of them have declared their intention to apply for asylum, and 423 persons submitted the request.

"These are actual data, and there may be a certain smaller number of migrants that are not adequately registered. I want to say that there are very malicious, inaccurate and scandalous statements of some important holders of functions in BiH who have issued certain numbers on migrants," said Mektic journalists after the session of the Council of Ministers.

He said that he was particularly dissatisfied with the statements of the SNSD deputies in the BiH House of Representatives, Milica Markovic and Nikola Spiric, who, as he said, exaggerated the number of migrants without any valid arguments, and thus unnecessarily disturbed the public in BiH.

"I have no reason to hide any migrants in BiH and I speak openly about all the times of the migrant crisis," Mektić said.

According to him, in cooperation with the Red Cross of Sarajevo Canton, a camp for migrants will be organized in the former barracks in Ušivak near Hadžić, and the current camp for the accommodation of migrants in Bihać will be dislocated to the location between this city and Velika Kladuša.

The Minister of Security of BiH stated that he is satisfied with the results of the involvement of police forces in the help of the BiH Border Police for better control and protection of the border. He announced that this practice will continue in cooperation with all security structures in BiH.

Mektic added that BiH is expecting a million euros from the international crisis fund to repair the consequences of the migrant crisis and the costs incurred by migrants.

He announced for June 7 the holding of a ministerial conference in Sarajevo, which would be dedicated to seeking a response to the migrant crisis, but also to detecting and preventing the smuggling of people. According to him, eight ministers from the region should come to this gathering.

"My plan is that, in seeking a solution to stop the migration wave, we find one point for that stop. In my opinion, what is the point to the south, it will be better, possible in or around Greece, where we can count on the help of Fronteks" said Mektić.

He added that the work of the gathering will be in two panels, the first "Preventing and halting illegal migration", and another "Humanitarian Acceptance and Humanitarian Treatment of Migrants".

Mektić announced the session of the BiH Operational Headquarters for the migrant crisis on Thursday, May 31.

• 29 May, 2018
• 1375 views