Croatia proposed amending its border control and defense laws on Friday to enable the army to help police manage flows of migrants, as Western Balkan states effectively close their borders to those fleeing conflict or poverty in the Middle East.
“It doesn’t mean we will activate this tomorrow, but we want to have this option,” Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic told a cabinet session.
Parliament must approve the legal changes. Neighboring Slovenia approved a similar amendment last month.
Oreskovic had said this week on a visit to Germany that Croatia favored a European Union-wide solution to the migrant crisis rather than unilateral actions by individual countries.