Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday he had talked with Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic about violent pushbacks of migrants from the Croatian border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and expected a report from all relevant services to see what had actually happened.

“Last night I immediately called Minister Bozinovic to ensure that the Ministry and police take all the necessary measures and investigate the matter so that we see what happened and take appropriate decisions, because Croatia, as a country governed by the rule of law, respects its own laws and international rules. We do not want any actions that might be connected with the state and that are not in accordance with our legal system,” Plenkovic said at a cabinet meeting.

“We have a duty to protect our border and prevent illegal migration. We appreciate the role of the Croatian police in protecting the border in the last few years, after our continent has become a destination for migrations, which are often illegal and led and organised by smugglers who benefit from the misfortunes of many people who for various reasons left their homes,” he added.