APA BLOG
Croatian police fire on illegal migrants near Slovenian border
-
18:39
-
17 November 2019
Croatian police fired on a group of illegal migrants trying to reach neighboring Slovenia late on Saturday, leaving one man critically injured, officials in the northern Adriatic town of Rijeka said, APA reports citing Reuters.
Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic told reporters that the group was probably trying to cross into Slovenia, but did not say how many people were in the group or give their nationalities.
Croatia is on a route taken by many migrants from the Middle East and central Asia trying to reach wealthier EU states. Some cross into Croatia from Bosnia undeclared.
“Police officers were preventing the passage of a group which most probably wanted to reach Slovenia,” Bozinovic told media late on Saturday, adding that one man was wounded probably due to the use of firearms.
A doctor at the Rijeka Clinical Hospital Centre said the man in a critical condition had suffered gunshot wounds.
“The patient was admitted for urgent surgery after sustaining gunshot wounds in the area of thorax and stomach,” the doctor told Reuters by telephone on Sunday. “He is in a life-threatening condition and intensive medical treatment is continuing.”
Bozinovic said regional authorities would investigate the incident, which took place in the mountainous Gorski Kotar area close to Rijeka, which is around 20 km (12 miles) from the Slovenian border.
Croatia, which wants to join the EU’s border-free Schengen area, has to convince Brussels that it is able to effectively manage the bloc’s external border, a particularly sensitive issue since Europe’s 2015 migrant crisis.
Neighboring Bosnia, which has become a migrant hot-spot since 2018, has repeatedly accused Croatia of returning migrants to Bosnia even when they are found deep in its territory. Many migrants have been complaining of brutality of Croatian police officers, allegations that Croatia has dismissed.
Other news
VIDEO NEWS
4 persons poisoned from smoke in fire broken out at trade center - UPDATED-5 - PHOTOSESSION - VIDEO
Bakcell received an award for the “Best Corporate Style” at Bakutel 2019 exhibition - PHOTO - VIDEO
Azerbaijani boxer Mahammadrasul Majidov knockouts Tom Little in two rounds - PHOTOSESSION - VIDEO
Cadets of the Azerbaijan Military Academy started field training - VIDEO
PHOTO NEWS
First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva attended opening ceremony of rebuilt Azerbaijan pavilion at Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow - UPDATED
Open Doors Day and the military oath-taking ceremony were held on the occasion of the State Flag Day
An exhibition that also presents President Ilham Aliyev's photo opened in Moscow
Azerbaijani President and first lady inaugurated Koroglu Transport Exchange Center of Baku Transport Agency - UPDATED
