The situation with migrants is likely to get complicated on Bosnia and Herzegovina's borders in the following months, chief of Bosnia's Border Police Zoran Galic has warned.

Due to the cold weather and bad conditions, the number of migrants attempting to cross borders in the eastern and north-eastern parts of Bosnia significantly decreased compared to September and October.

“Police officers prevented 2,699 illegal migrants’ crossings in September, 1,919 in October, 971 in November and 323 in the first 25 days of December. We expect a more complex situation with the upcoming warmer days,” said Galic.

Thousands of migrants have entered Bosnia on their way toward EU countries since the year began. The country became a significant transit point for them after numerous surrounding countries closed their borders, with Bosnia now being described as a “migrant hotspot” among local officials.

After spending months in the open, in improvised tent camps and abandoned buildings of the north-western Bosnian towns of Bihac and Velika Kladusa, migrants were now accommodated in the facilities provided and equipped by international and local humanitarian organisations.

The migrants arriving in and passing through Bosnia are mostly adult, able-bodied men and fall under the economic migrant category, said Galic.

Women and children are rare.

“They're trying to illegally cross the border mostly on foot between two border crossings, in the buffer strip that is. Border Police officers of Bosnia and Herzegovina often take part in rescuing the migrants from drowning in rivers,” he added.