The date of the next National Security Council session will be defined next week with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told the national broadcaster HTV on Friday evening.

Asked if he knew what the president had decided regarding being the candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in the election run for another term as head of state, given that the party asked Grabar-Kitarovic to state her intentions by autumn, Plenkovic briefly said “yes” without revealing what the president had decided.

“It is up to her to say that. When the time comes, she will inform the public about her decision,” the PM said.

“We did not yet agree on the date of the session of the National Security Council and we will discuss that next week, once we return to Zagreb. After that, a trip to China is scheduled so the National Security Council will be convened either next week or in 15 days,” Plenkovic said.

President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said on Thursday there were already plenty of topics for discussion by the National Security Council and that she was “constantly proposing” that the Council convened.

Speaking to reporters, she said the Council must convene sooner or later. “Four times a year, as agreed. And if the Council convenes, don’t think there is a state of emergency in the country.”

The situation at Maljevac border crossing

Asked about the migrant situation at the Maljevac border crossing, Plenkovic said Croatia was strengthening its capacities to protect the border and it respected the agreement with the European Union.

The migrant influx, following a large migrant wave in 2015/2016. is down 98%, Plenkovic said adding that together with its EU partners, Croatia has strengthened the protection of the EU external border.

He also said that Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic was constantly in contact with his Bosnia and Herzegovina counterpart and the relevant EU commissioner regarding the situation at the Maljevac border crossing.

The Maljevac border crossing between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia remained closed on Thursday morning after a large group of migrants attempted to cross the border illegally on Wednesday, and the Croatian police spent the night on alert but did not need to intervene.

On Thursday morning, the migrants were 150 metres away from the borderline and were under the control of Bosnian police.

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