Director of Bosnian Border Police Zoran Galic warned that Bosnia could face a migrant wave again in the spring, and noted that this police agency lacked the material and technical resources to effectively cover all locations atwhich they are likely to cross the border illegally. Galic pointed out that data from the European Union Border Protection Agency (Frontex), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Europol report indicate that illegal migration in the Western Balkans will intensify again after the winter, which would put Bosnia back on track with increased migration pressure.
He stated that since September last year there has been a trend of decreasing the number of illegal border crossings in comparison with the previous period, but that this is a seasonal trend.
The Border Police, he added, currently employs 2,228 officers, of whom 2,028 are police officers. According to the estimation of this police agency, 100 official vehicles, 132 binoculars, 66 IC devices, 66 thermal imaging units are missing to cover all locations where illegal border crossings are possible in the area of responsibility of Border Police units Bijeljina, Zvornik, Visegrad, Hum-Foca and Trebinje.
“It is necessary to purchase new specialist equipment that can meet the contemporary challenges of illegal migration and provide border protection,” he said. Galic said last year 13,251 people were deterred from attempting to move illegally to Bosnia from neighboring countries, Fena reports.
