Border crossings

No drastic changes for Bosnians crossing Croatian border after July 1

19.06.2013 u 09:00

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European Union, Croatian and Bosnian border officials said on Tuesday they would try to make it as easy as possible for Bosnian citizens to enter Croatia after it joins the European Union on July 1, Bosnian media reported.

The regime for Bosnian citizens crossing the border should not be made stricter, said Zlatko Sokolar, head of the Croatian Interior Ministry border administration, after the officials visited Stara Gradiska, the main crossing for the transport of animal products between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He said the intention was to make sure the flow of goods and people was not disrupted and that Croatia was agreeing, through EU institutions, a system to enable Bosnian citizens to enter Croatia with ID cards. "However, this isn't our decision at the moment but of all EU members."

Sokolar dismissed the possibility of a strict customs control for Bosnian citizens, saying it would remain similar given that there were no migration issues between the two countries.

He said Bosnian citizens would be able to cross the Croatian border as they did in other EU countries, with biometric passports or old ones with visas.

The chief of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of EU Member States, Ilko Laitinen, said he was satisfied after visiting the Stara Gradiska crossing.

Everything seems ready for Croatia's EU accession. This crossing has all the necessary infrastructure for the undisturbed transport of people and goods, he said.

Bosnian Border Police Chief Vinko Dumancic said works on the the Bosnian side of the crossing would be finished by July 1.