MP Miro Bulj of the opposition Most party asked on Wednesday that the army be engaged in the protection of the border as soon as possible given the migrants illegally entering Croatia, saying that properties and the population along the border were in danger.

Speaking in parliament during a debate on amendments to the law on military service, Bulj said that under the law the army could perform police tasks. “Four or five police officers can’t guard hundreds of thousands of metres of the border,” he said, calling on the interior minister to send a request to the Defence Ministry.

Tomislav Ivic, state secretary at the Defence Ministry, said that under legislative amendments from 2016, the army could assist the police in border protection. He added, however, that the police were doing an excellent job and that one should believe Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic, who said there was no need to engage the army.

“The Croatian army is ready to intervene at any moment, which we have proved countless times… and if need be and it is assessed that the army should be engaged, it will be engaged in a matter of hours,” Ivic said.