Croatia’s parliament has adopted amendments to the law governing state border surveillance, aligning national legislation with updated European Union Schengen rules and potentially affecting travel for citizens of neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian media reported.
The revised law allows for the temporary reintroduction of controls at internal borders, not only along the entire border but also on specific sections. Such measures would be introduced at the proposal of the interior minister, enabling faster responses to crises including security threats, migration pressures and public health risks.
Under the changes, authorities may also temporarily close certain border crossings or shorten their operating hours, with traffic redirected elsewhere. The measures must be proportionate and justified, according to the reports.
The interior ministry has been formally designated as the competent authority for consultations with the European Commission on the supervision of internal borders.
The amendments come as several EU member states, including Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Slovenia, have already reintroduced temporary border controls citing migration and security concerns. Croatia has not so far applied such measures, but the new law establishes a clear legal framework for swift action if needed.
EU rules require member states to notify the European Commission, the EU Council and the European Parliament of any decision to reintroduce border controls, a provision intended to increase transparency and limit arbitrary restrictions on freedom of movement.