Caretaker Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said on Wednesday that, after Austria introduced and Slovenia announced a new regime for migrants crossing the border, Croatia would introduce new rules too.

“Aside from the information requested so far, migrants will also be asked if they are seeking asylum in Germany or Austria,” Ostojic told Hina when asked to comment on Austria’s new regime for migrants crossing the border and in light of Slovenia’s announcements that it would apply on its border with Croatia the same measures as Austria.

He said Croatia would do as the other countries which had been notified and that the same would be done by Serbia, from which migrants are entering Croatia. He added he would say more at a press conference on Thursday.

Austria today introduced restrictions in the reception of refugees and migrants via Slovenia and will receive fewer than so far. This prompted Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec to say that the Slovenian government would decide about introducing the same measures on its border with Croatia on Thursday.

Austria will receive only refugees whose identity can be ascertained, those intending to seek asylum in Austria or Germany, and people without a criminal record or who are not a security risk. Austria will also limit the number of asylum seekers by 2019 to 1.5 percent of its population. Austria will not let in economic migrants, only refugees from endangered regions. The measures will be fully applied as of February, although the separation of refugees from economic migrants began today.

Croatia to introduce new rules for migrants Dalje English