It is no longer a question of "if" but rather "when" until a terrorist assault occurs in Croatia, as former intelligence officer Ante Letica recently declared in an interview with the newspaper Jutarnji list.
When asked about the recent events in Israel, Letitsa said, "they can also be an incentive for terrorist acts around the world, as images of destruction showing the suffering of the Palestinian people can incite radical terrorist groups to immediate acts of revenge."
People in Europe can be recruited for terrorist acts by certain groups. It is populated by immigrants of the second and third generations, who tend to be lonely, confined to poor neighborhoods, and vulnerable to recruitment efforts. The former head of Croatian intelligence also pointed out that "people who were once members of these radical groups are among the illegal immigrants arriving on the continent."
Croatia is not immune to attacks, and Letica warned that "one cannot fall into a false sense of security in the country based on the fact that we are not a supposedly important country."
Croatia combat terrorism without mercy as a member of NATO and the European Union. He cautioned that "people among us who are capable of and willing to carry out terrorist activities" exist, and that "members of our military and police around the world" are also possible targets.
There is once again border patrol.
Due to the growing number of migrants using the so-called Balkan route to reach the EU, Slovenia's government decided on October 19 to implement border controls with Croatia and Hungary for at least 10 days beginning on October 21.
While this judgment does not spell "the end of the Schengen area," as Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic put it, it does highlight the presence of severe difficulties inside the Community.
The rising risk of terrorism and the resulting migratory patterns have long been the driving forces for the implementation of stricter border restrictions. The Prime Minister of Croatia opined that instituting temporary border controls should be a last resort, subject to tight limitations, particularly in terms of scope and length.
Premier Giorgia Meloni of Italy said yesterday that immigration checks at the Slovenian border would once again be conducted. Given the worsening situation in the Middle East and the rising flow of refugees, she believes it is imperative to temporarily halt the Schengen accord on free movement./BGNES
