- Published: 23.09.2015.
PM: Refugee crisis should be solved in Turkey and Greece
The huge influx of refugees can be stopped in Turkey if Greece was to start controlling its borders, while the relocation of people within Europe is a minor issue, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said in Brussels on Wednesday.
"That can be stopped in Turkey, where President Erdogan is obviously conducting a pre-election campaign. That costs money but for Europe that's a small amount. Greece should be asked, compelled as a member of the Schengen area to start controlling its exterior border, which it is not doing now and that is the main problem. This relocation of people within Europe is a minor issue," Milanovic said upon arriving for an extraordinary summit of EU leaders about the refugee crisis in Europe.
Milanovic underscored that it was all the same whether quotas to relocate refugees would be voluntary or mandatory. "It's important that this river of people is stopped and if the EU is not in a position to do so then all this debating is senseless and is going nowhere," he said.
Milanovic added that faced with the difficult challenge with the influx of refugees, Croatia has proved to be a "serious state regardless of the clamour in Budapest, Belgrade and the HDZ. That is a holy trinity," he said.
"We are receiving people in a very, very organised way and transporting them to several border crossings, organised at the state's cost, but take a look at what Serbia is, or rather, is not doing. That's total chaos. I wouldn't mention this had we not come across the clamour of nationalists, those guys are always the same, they are everywhere," he added.
Asked whether there was Plan C if the situation with refugees were to change, Milanovic said that there were "six, seven, eight plans" but that he could not talk about them.
"However, I think the situation will remain as it is because winter is coming and there a number of other reasons. This ugly Hungarian attempt with a fence will end at that. I am personally disturbed by the message that that fence on the border between Vojvodina (Serbia) and Hungary is functioning, that is something that needs to be torn down, it's horrible," said Milanovic.
Asked what that relationship between Budapest, Belgrade and the HDZ was, Milanovic said: "Their actions and statements and nothing else."
Milanovic said that Serbia and Serbs in Croatia do not have many friends in Croatia like him and Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic.
"These people are now teaching me a lesson that someone here hates Serbia and all we are doing is protecting Croatia's interests and I will continue to do so. Why are we closing the border and why will we reopen it and shut it again if I see that the Budapest-Belgrade axle is functioning in such a way that peole are entering Serbia from Macedonia being transported by bus or train to Horgos in Vojvodina and some to Croatia, which is something I'm not running away from, I will be absolutely convinced that they are working behind our backs and pulling the wool over our eyes," Milanovic said. He added that what Croatia was doing is in its interest but also in the interest of Austria and Germany.
"They are the two countries where people are going and will remain. It is interesting that I can speak with those people the best, they are the most civilised (Austrian Chancellor Werner) Faymann, (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel and with (Slovenia's Prime Minister) Miro Cerar who are in an easier position. They aren't yelling, screaming, issuing ultimatums. That is Western Europe, where we belong, and for me this is not Western Europe, this is something that is not clear to me and that is somewhere that the HDZ belongs," he said.
Asked to comment on HDZ President Tomislav Karamarko's remark that they had not requested that the border be shut, Milanovic said, "how is it not true that they asked that the borders be shut? They called for the army and weapons to be deployed to the border. That is how the man who wants to lead the country talks, I'm ashamed of that, I have to say," Milanovic said.
He added that he had offered Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic help by sending buses and trains to transfer people in an organised manner from the south to the north but that he did not get any response.
Milanovic rejected claims that businesses were complaining because the borders had been closed. "That's not true, they are not complaining. I spoke to the largest of them. They will not be at a loss. I am in contact with the largest of them who have millions invested in Serbia, thousands of jobs and they know very well what is in Croatia's interest and I'm very interested what ultimatum Vucic and authorities in Belgrade are sending the EU. We will open that border at some point, we will carefully monitor what they (Serbia) are doing and close the border again (if necessary)," Milanovic said.
(Hina)