Croatia struggles as 7,000 asylum seekers a day cross from Serbia

Croatia’s Defence Minister says there is no need to close the border with Serbia despite the soaring numbers of refugees and migrants arriving at the frontier.

Visiting the main transit camp at Opatovic on Sunday, Ante Kotromanovic told reporters everything is running smoothly despite the increased numbers.

He urged Belgrade to help monitor the flow but insisted Croatia would continue with its policy even if the border crossing between Serbia and Hungary at Horgos remains closed.

Officials in Zagreb say 73,500 men, women and children have arrived on the border in the last 11 days alone.

Arrivals walk across the frontier on foot and are then taken by bus to the nearby transit camp. Once inside the camp, they register for a place on a train heading for Hungary or Slovenia.

Croatia says it is struggling to cope with the influx. Zagreb says it can handle up to 5,000 a day – but the current number is more like 7,000.

One in 10 needs medical assistance when they arrive. Many are trying to make their journey before the winter weather arrives.

“I want to go to Sweden or Germany,” one man told reporters, “life is better there. Better than our city. I come from Aleppo in Syria. There is no life there, it is war. There is nowhere to go, it is just bombs.”