The country will continue securing its borders with our eastern neighbours, in order to prevent illegal movements and to direct migrants to the official border crossings, said Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdic, following a meeting on migrant situation held in Sarajevo on Thursday.

The meeting was attended by Bosnia's Security Minister Dragan Mektic, Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Semiha Borovac, and representatives of local authorities in the Una-Sana Canton, the westernmost territory of Bosnia, which has been dealing with a great influx of migrants for the past weeks.

“We will keep the humane aspect towards those who seek the international protection and are arriving on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Chairman Zvizdic, adding that a location for the accommodation of migrants in the Una-Sana Canton will be determined by end of the week.

Around 4,900 refugees and migrants entered Bosnia since early January 2018, according to government's estimates. Approximately 2,500 refugees and migrants in need of assistance are currently stranded in the country.

According to Zvizdic, the migrants are not planning to stay in Bosnia and certain politicians are saying inaccurate things “trying to use the misfortune of people in populist purposes.”

“Nobody was given asylum and there is no way migrants could be given any kind of citizenships. We will treat them in a humane way, we will follow the situation in the region, the permeability of borders. Bosnia and Herzegovina will not remain some kind of a collective centre for migrants in the Balkans. Security of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a priority, their healthcare, public order and peace,” underlined Zvizdic.