During question time in parliament on Wednesday, independent MP Mirando Mrsic warned about what he described as "the spreading of fake news and hysteria about migrants", inviting Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to visit migrants seeking aslyum in Croatia, and to make a clear statement that they are welcome in the country.

“How many crimes were committed by migrants over the past year? How many persons have applied for asylum and how many have received it?” Mrsic asked.

In his response, PM Plenkovic agreed that there indeed is a wave of hysteria and panic over illegal migration being spread in Croatia, and urged politicians and the media to refrain from taking part in it.

“We will continue to protect the border from illegal migration, and when it comes to legal migrations, when it comes to showing humane approach, when it comes to people seeking asylum – we will act in line with Croatian and European regulations, pursuing a responsible policy, and eliminating the existing hysteria, drama and panic,” Plenkovic said.

MP Miroslav Tudjman of the ruling centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) asked about whether illegal migrations represented a security threat, to which Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic replied by saying that Croatia has the longest external land border in the European Union, bordering on non-EU states, which he said was a challenge to control.

“Illegal migration is also a security issue,” Bozinovic said, adding that the government had called on countries south of Croatia to help in dealing with the issue.

The so-called Balkan route which became popular with thousands of Middle Eastern migrants since early 2018 takes them through Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia. After reaching northwestern Bosnia, they try crossing into Croatia at the most narrow part of its territory in order to reach Slovenia.

Although both Croatia and Slovenia are EU members, only Slovenia is part of the bloc’s passport-free Schengen area, with migrants hoping reaching the Slovenia border would allow them access to wealthier countries in western Europe.

Follow N1 via mobile apps for Android | iPhone/iPad | Windows| and social media on Twitter | Facebook.