At the discussion, organised by the government's Office for Human Rights, Office's head Luka Madjaric said Croatia had drawn up a law on asylum in accordance with instructions given by the European Union, and that the document was very important for the comprehensive protection of human rights in the country.
Assistant Interior Minister Zarko Katic said that at the moment five asylum seeker applications were being preliminarily processed, with an additional seven requests being in regular procedure. He added that of 37 asylum seeking applications processed so far, none was okayed. In this context he said that distinction should be made between the so-called economic emigrants and aliens (illegal migrants).
Katic went on to say that a centre for providing accommodation to asylum seekers would be completed in the former army barracks in the northern town of Stubicke Toplice next year. About 11 million kuna will be spent for this purpose, with the EU to grant some 800,000 euros. He recalled that local citizens were against the opening of the centre, so he called on human rights activists and NGOs to help educate the public in the matter.