We are monitoring the events on the Bosnian-Croatian border regarding the beating of migrants with special attention and we the European Commission is taking media reports on such cases very seriously, the European Commission told N1, on Friday, when asked to comment on the incident involving 18 injured migrants found by Bosnian Border Police, on Wednesday, near the border with Croatia.
“We've seen the reports. The commission is always concerned about the reports regarding the bad treatment of migrants and it always takes such accusations seriously. Any form of violence against migrants is unacceptable. The European Commission's services are in contact with Croatian authorities regarding allegations of harassment and denying non-EU citizens to apply for asylum, but also regarding the implementation of EU legislation on migrants and asylum in general,” the European Commission spokesperson told N1.
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The first and foremost responsibility of the Croatian authorities is to ensure that the rights of migrants are respected and that they have access to asylum procedures, which must be provided to anyone who applies in accordance with the EU law, the Commission said and added that they expect the Croatian authorities to respond promptly to these allegations.
When it comes to the general migration situation in the Western Balkans, the European Commission has very clear views.
“The EU supports the Western Balkans when it comes to managing migrations and the refugee crisis, including ensuring the humane treatment of people in need. We work closely with authorities, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to meet the urgent needs of new arrivals and those most vulnerable among refugees,” the spokesperson concluded.
