Migrants: Amnesty, Croatia rejects allegations of violence
Interior minister, police protect borders in compliance with law
13 March, 16:26Through an open letter addressed to Massimo Moratti, responsible for research in the European office of the AI, the Croatian Interior minister, Davor Bozinovic, said that the Croatian police ''effectively monitor and protect our borders, in full compliance with laws national and international rules''.
Bozinovic said that violence and abuse are not tolerated nor encouraged and that all complaints about any police's unlawful behavior are always verified. So far, these controls have not shown abuse or violence by Croatian agents.
In recent times, complaints about abuse and violence have been made by other international organizations. Very often, said Bozinovic, ''migrants make false allegations against Croatian policemen, hoping that this can somehow help them to enter Croatia''. In its report, Amnesty International referred to 94 migrants' claims collected in the camps in the Bihac area of Bosnia, not far from the border with Croatia. Instead, the Croatian ministry underlined that this organization offered no information to identify these people or verify their claims.
''We are convinced - said Minister Bozinovic - that most of the migrants interviewed are people who have never entered Croatia, but to whom prevention measures have been applied at the state border, in line with the Schengen rules''. (ANSA).