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EUROPE-MIGRANTS-BOSNIA-EU
Bosnia braces for new ‘surge’ of migrants on Balkan route
SARAJEVO, March 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Bosnia is expecting an “escalation” of
EU-bound migrants passing through its country in 2019, Bosnia’s security
minister told AFP, saying the European Union had failed to solve a brewing
crisis.
Last year some 25,000 migrants fom the Middle East, North Africa and Asia
trudged through the mountainous country in hopes of entering the EU through
neighbouring Croatia, which is a member state.
The vast majority — around 22,000 — successfully passed through Bosnia
while several thousand are currently housed in reception centres, said
Security Minister Dragan Mektic.
While the stream of migrants dwindled in the cold months of winter, Mektic
said authorities are preparing for a large wave this spring.
“We expect the problem of migrants to escalate, not only in Bosnia but
along this route,” the minister said in an interview with AFP.
According to Mektic, information from “official institutions, including
European ones” says some “70,000 migrants are currently in Greece and are
moving” with the aim of reaching western Europe.
“It is not only Bosnia’s problem.., we want to be part of the European
solution, but the EU cannot agree on a solution. These illegal migrations
have simply been allowed to continue.”
Poor and paralysed by a fractured government, Bosnia does not have the
economic or political capacity to support a large increase in migrants, he
said.
Last year the EU allocated some 9.2 million euros ($10.3 million) to help
Bosnia set up migrant reception centres with a current capacity of 4,500
people.
The centres helped stave off a humanitarian crisis as temperatures plunged
over winter, as migrants were previously living in tents and other ramshackle
sites in the country.
On Thursday Bosnia’s Ministry of Security announced its intention to
“close completely” the 600-kilometre (400-mile) border with Serbia and
Montenegro in the east by deploying more police.
The country is also considering an offer from Hungary to send some police
to assist with border patrol, Mektic said.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1738 hrs