The Croatian government on Friday adopted draft amendments to the laws on border control and defence to allow the armed forces to help the police in guarding the frontier when that is necessary for security or humanitarian reasons.
The draft amendments will be sent to parliament for consideration under fast-track procedure, given the extent of the ongoing migrant crisis along the Balkan route and in some other European Union member-states.
Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic said that armed forces would be deployed for border control only exceptionally and in accordance with instructions from the police.
Defence Minister Josip Buljevic said that troops would help the police in guarding the border in line with the relevant legislation and decisions to be made by the government with the prior consent of the President of the Republic who is the commander in chief of the army.
The amendments to the laws do not require additional funds, according to an explanation from the government.
Croatia, the EU newcomer, is on the Balkan route which migrants from the Middle East and North Africa are using to reach western European countries, primarily Germany.
(Text: Hina)
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Orepic Vlaho
