FM: Croatia will honour EC recommendations on opening border with Bosnia

Croatia will honour the European Commission's recommendations on the opening of the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina in line with the epidemiological situation, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said on Monday

That will be done in coordination with other EU member states and BiH citizens will have no problem transiting through Croatia, he said, adding that there would be no problem on election day either.

The minister recalled that on May 29 Croatia opened its borders for ten EU member states, underlining that Croatia was a tourist destination.

"We must look to the future, recovery, the interests of Croatian citizens, Croatian tourism," he said, adding that BiH citizens, first and foremost Croats from BiH, were certainly in Croatia's interest and that the prime minister and the government had a positive view on that issue.

The minister said the transit of BiH citizens through Croatia "has been agreed. Anyone from BiH coming to a funeral, a wedding, for personal reasons, there is no problem at all."

He said voting in Croatia's July 5 parliamentary election was not in question. "Everyone will be able to vote... We have BiH's consent for 45 polling stations. The same goes for the rest of the world. Our diplomatic and consular offices are open in line with State Electoral Commission instructions."

As for possible countermeasures from BiH after Croatia imposed obligatory two-week self-isolation for citizens entering from BiH, except those in transit, Grlic Radman said he was in contact with his BiH counterpart Bisera Turkovic and that he was confident a solution would be found.

The most important thing is to protect citizens' health, slow down the spread of coronavirus, and be responsible, he said. (Hina/FaH)

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