In an unusual turn of events, four Afghan migrants who had illegally entered Croatia decided to return to Bosnia and Herzegovina after running out of financial resources. Seeking safety and warmth, they opted to go back to the migrant camp in Bihac instead of continuing their journey westward. Pročitaj više

Their decision confused Miro C., a 25-year-old waiter from Zagreb, who was their taxi driver on the night of February 23, 2023. He became suspicious when they asked to be driven in the “wrong direction,” away from the usual routes towards Western Europe.

Croatian police stopped his vehicle in Grabovac, near Rakovica municipality, and arrested him under suspicion of smuggling migrants. The four Afghans had no identification documents, which led authorities to assume the driver was complicit in their illegal transit. However, during court proceedings at the Municipal Court in Slunj, it was revealed that Miro C. was unaware of their migrant status, leading to his acquittal.

Migrants’ struggle and decision to return

According to testimonies from Afghan nationals Ikram Khan and Baser Sarvary, they illegally crossed into Croatia from Bosnia on February 1, 2023, hoping to find accommodation in Zagreb and later in Rijeka. Failing to secure shelter and struggling financially, they returned to Zagreb, sleeping at bus stations before deciding to go back to Bihac.

Instead of using a ride-hailing app, they arranged transport directly with the taxi driver.

“They showed me the destination on their phone, near Slunj and Plitvice Lakes. I saw they were foreigners, but I drive foreigners every day in Zagreb. I didn’t think they were illegal migrants because they were at the bus station. If they had asked for a ride to Slovenia, I might have been suspicious, but they wanted to go in the opposite direction,” Miro C. explained in court, denying any intent to smuggle migrants.

He charged them €110 for the ride, noting that payment via the app would have likely been more expensive. However, communication difficulties prevented them from using the app, so he accepted cash.

At 9:50 pm, officers from the “Corridor II” task force stopped him at the intersection of roads D-1 and D-42, acting on intelligence received earlier in Zagreb about potential migrant transport.

Court ruling: No criminal intent

The arrested taxi driver was initially told he would only face minor charges, not criminal prosecution.

“The court did not find that the defendant knew the passengers were illegal migrants or that he intended to assist them in unauthorized transit. He picked them up at a bus station, performed a taxi service, and was unaware they had crossed the border illegally,” the judge ruled at the Municipal Court in Karlovac’s Slunj branch, ultimately acquitting him, ‘Jutarnji list’ daily wrote.

The case highlights the complexities of migration in the region, where even those attempting to return to previous locations can inadvertently spark legal complications.