Croatia will accept 20 Afghan nationals who worked as part of the EU delegation in Afghanistan, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman announced on Wednesday.

European External Action Service (EEAS) called on EU member countries to accept local staff that worked with the EU delegation – some 500 translators, logistic support providers, and their families – from Afghanistan, Grlic-Radman said.

Croatia will take in 20 people.

“They supported our forces and it is our duty to protect them,” he said. “They were thoroughly vetted and tested for work in EU institutions. They are highly educated, they are not unregistered undocumented individuals.”

The speed with which the Taliban forces took power in Afghanistan after NATO forces withdrew from the country shocked the West, and many countries are now rushing to evacuate their diplomats and Afghan nationals who helped them.

Croatia managed to evacuate all 26 of its nationals from the country by Tuesday, and the minister once again thanked the American, British, German, and Ukrainian authorities for their help in the efforts.

Croatia will adhere to EU’s position on the Taliban

On Tuesday, Grlic-Radman participated in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers.

“I personally stressed the importance of protecting human rights, particularly concerning women and girls, but also the security of all EU nationals and local staff that worked with the EU delegation,” he said.

“After nearly 20 years of efforts, we have failed in transforming Afghanistan,” he added, saying that Croatia had participated in 70 bilateral projects during that time, and founded a school for midwives, calling it a “contribution which should not remain invisible.”

Asked by the reporters on the position Croatia will take on the issue of international recognition of the new regime in Afghanistan, Grlic-Radman said that EU member countries will agree on a common position which Croatia will follow.

Danger of another migrant wave

Foreign ministers also discussed on Tuesday the possibility of another migrant wave towards Europe as Afghans are scrambling to flee the Taliban regime.

In order to prevent that, Grlic-Radman said, it is important to maintain open communication channels with the Taliban, with third countries, and Afghanistan’s neighbours, which should also bear the responsibility in the possible migrant wave.

“If the Taliban prove they are prepared to respect the rule of law and human rights, certainly that will be an opportunity to establish cooperation,” he said.

It is not in Croatia’s interest that the country should become a migrant hotspot, he added.

“Of course we don’t want to become a hotspot. We are still dealing with the so-called Balkan migrant route… You know how complicated and challenging this is for the 6,500 Croatian police officers guarding the longest external border of the EU,” he explained.

“We share these concerns with Greece because we don’t want to see 2015/2016 repeat itself,” Grlic-Radman concluded.