Drago Lovric

Croatia's President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has asked Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Gen. Drago Lovric to put the army on a higher state of alert to protect the country's borders from a potential increase in migratory pressure, HINA reported on Thursday.

During a visit to a Croatian coastguard ship in the Italian port of Catania on Sunday, Milanovic said that Croatia is ready to help refugees coming to the EU, describing them as "people in pursuit of a better life".

"I think these people should be given the opportunity to work, to create, to pay taxes, to contribute, since for sure they won't and shouldn't go back," he said.