Croatia willing to help refugee children on Greek islands

Croatia is ready to take in some of the child refugees trapped in inhumane conditions in refugee camps on Greek islands, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Sunday.

A great number of young refugees, who are not accompanied by parents or by some older relatives, are stuck in makeshift camps for refugees and migrants.

Plenkovic, who was visiting the town of Sinj today, confirmed that Croatia was ready to accept some of those unaccompanied minors who are staying in difficult conditions on those islands.

The transfer of child refugees and migrants from those islands to other EU member states will be on the EU agenda after the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, visits the Greek islands swarmed with migrants next week.

"Croatia has always shown a totally humanitarian approach. We used to be a country with dislocated people and refugees, notably those from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Children need additional protection," said Plenkovic.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon that Croatia had experience in providing care for child refugees and unaccompanied minors.

Commissioner Johansson is tasked with checking the status of each unaccompanied minor who is likely to be transferred from Greek islands to EU member states. This measure has been ordered so as to prevent the abuse the status of "unaccompanied minors" by families that suddenly appear and seek asylum in the country that has received the child concerned, the Zagreb-based Vecernji List daily wrote on Sunday.

Text: Hina

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