Defence Minister on Ceuta migration crisis: No need for panic or army, Croatian police remain at the border

Defence Minister Ivan Anušić (Photo: MORH/ J. Šeri)

1 August 2026 – Croatia’s Defence Minister Ivan Anušić has said there are no current circumstances requiring the Croatian Army to be deployed to the country’s borders, following renewed attention on migration issues after events in Spain’s North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Speaking in Dalj on Saturday, Anušić said the situation in Spain was linked to specific circumstances and urged the public not to be alarmed or spread unnecessary concern.

“The Army goes to the border under certain circumstances, and these are not those circumstances,” Anušić said, adding that Croatia’s border remains under the control of the Ministry of the Interior and Croatian police.

He stressed that Interior Minister Davor Božinović and the police continue to monitor and manage the country’s borders, and that this approach will remain in place.

“The Army comes out in completely different circumstances, and these circumstances do not require the Army on the border,” Anušić said.

The Defence Minister also criticised what he described as the spread of panic and misinformation around migration issues, saying that sensational headlines and inaccurate claims can unnecessarily confuse the public.

He said migration challenges have existed for around a decade and that Croatia has successfully managed the situation through its existing security structures.

“Migration crisis has not been happening since yesterday, it has been going on for a decade. Croatia has successfully dealt with it and will continue to do so,” Anušić said.

His comments came after increased media attention on migration developments in Spain’s North African territories of Ceuta and Melilla, where authorities recently faced renewed pressure from attempted crossings from Morocco.

Earlier Croatia’s Interior Minister Davor Božinović said that the recent migrant crisis will not have a direct impact on Croatia, although it could influence border control policies elsewhere in Europe.

Spanish authorities said that the majority of the 60,000 migrants who entered the enclaves had been returned by Friday evening.

Croatia, which joined the European Union’s Schengen Area in 2023, has strengthened border controls in recent years due to migration routes crossing through the Western Balkans. Croatian authorities have repeatedly stated that border security remains a priority while maintaining that responsibility lies primarily with police forces.