Croatia says Spain migrant crisis will not directly affect country
- by croatiaweek
- in News
(Illustration)
ZAGREB, 1 August 2026 – Croatia’s Interior Minister Davor Božinović has said that the recent migrant crisis in Spain’s North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla will not have a direct impact on Croatia, although it could influence border control policies elsewhere in Europe.
The comments come after an estimated 50,000 irregular migrants crossed into Spanish territory from Morocco, prompting concern across the European Union. Some member states, including Italy and Finland, reportedly called for the temporary suspension of Schengen rules in Spain.
Božinović said Croatia is not on the migration route affected by the developments in Spain and therefore does not expect direct consequences.
However, he believes the escalation makes it less likely that Italy will remove internal border controls with Slovenia in the near future. Slovenia recently lifted its own internal border controls with Croatia following the formation of its new government.
Božinović said Croatia’s migration route remains stable and highlighted the country’s continuous monitoring of its external EU borders.
“We are one of the few countries maintaining a 24 hour presence at the external borders, monitoring not only the border itself but also developments along the wider migration route,” he said on Dnevnik.hr, adding that Croatia’s system is designed to detect and respond to changes before they become a problem.
The minister suggested the scale of the crossings in Spain would have been difficult without Morocco’s involvement. He noted that Morocco and Spain have long standing disagreements over the status of Ceuta and Melilla, territories claimed by Morocco but administered by Spain for centuries.
Božinović said the European Union and Spain should strengthen cooperation with Morocco to facilitate the return of migrants. Croatia, he added, already has readmission agreements and both voluntary and forced return mechanisms in place.
He also pointed to Croatia’s role in securing EU agreement for Frontex deployments in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, noting that the agency was reportedly not present in Spain during the latest surge.
Božinović said Croatia’s border security should be judged by results rather than statements, stressing that illegal migration numbers on Croatia’s borders continue to decline while authorities remain on constant duty.
Spain says at least 57 people died during the Ceuta mass crossings, and almost all of the remaining migrants have now been returned to Morocco. https://t.co/UYLy70TNhV pic.twitter.com/oCl5KNcAd6
— CNN International (@cnni) July 31, 2026
Meanwhile, Spanish authorities said that most of the migrants who crossed from Morocco had been returned by Friday evening.
