After joining the Schengen Area, up to 1,000 people could stop working at the internal borders with the EU, the Croatian Police Union said on Wednesday, confident that the relevant ministry will transfer them to other duties in police departments and stations.

Based on EU rules and a government decision, special teams will be formed, made up of personnel who will no longer be required at border crossings, to check people, illegal migration and goods.

If the plan is implemented that way, that should facilitate the transition to new working conditions for personnel in circumstances in which Croatia is a member of the EU and the Schengen Area, the union told Hina.

The Schengen Area is particularly interesting for police officers because it directly changes the scope of their work related to controlling the EU’s internal border with Slovenia and Hungary, the union underscored.

It recalled that, taught by the experience from 2013, when a large number of customs officers remained unassigned after Croatia joined the European Union because plans were not made on time, the union for years underscored the need to make plans in advance regarding Croatia’s integration into Schengen and the euro area.

The ministry accepted our proposals and new police officers have not been employed at the internal borders in the past few years, the union added.