ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - In the first ten months of 2002 Croatian police discovered and arrested more than 4,000 illegal immigrants, which is a 70% drop in the number of illegal migrations compared to the same period last year.
ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - In the first ten months of 2002 Croatian
police discovered and arrested more than 4,000 illegal immigrants,
which is a 70% drop in the number of illegal migrations compared to
the same period last year. #L#
By the end of September this year the police arrested 4,338 illegal
immigrants, while last year they arrested 15,103 people.
The police believe that the decrease in illegal migrations has been
affected by the fact that Yugoslavia has introduced visas for
Iranian and Turkish citizens, while Bosnia-Herzegovina has
introduced visas for Iraqi and Iranian citizens and the EU has
cancelled visas for Romanian citizens. For years Romanians have
been the most numerous illegal immigrants in Croatia and last year
7,346 of them were discovered in Croatia.
The visible decrease in illegal migrations has also been affected
by agreements on re-admission, cooperation with police forces from
neighbouring countries, better border control, and the severing of
a number of international chains of human smuggling in north-
western Croatia.
This year the police pressed charges against 159 persons involved
in people smuggling, which is 49% less than last year, when the
police pressed charges against 305 people in the first nine
months.
Most illegal immigrants entered Croatia from Bosnia-Herzegovina
(47.6%) and Yugoslavia (17.8%). A smaller number tried to enter the
country from Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. In 23% of cases it was not
possible to establish from which country they had entered Croatia.
This year a total of 827 foreign nationals, mostly Yugoslavs (244),
Turks (161) and Macedonians (117), were banished from Croatia.
Forcible removal is applied in case an immigrant does not leave
Croatia within court-imposed deadlines.
Most immigrants try to enter the country in groups of more than
three, while a smaller number enter or try to enter Croatia on their
own.
For transport from Bosnia-Herzegovina to West Europe via Croatia
and Slovenia smugglers charge 1,500 to 2,500 euros per person,
depending on the sex and age.
Last year Croatia spent 1.6 million kuna for deportation costs and
another two million for accommodation, health care and food for
illegal immigrants.
(hina) rml