VIEWPOINT FROM LONDON

EXPORTING BRITAIN'S PROBLEMS TO CROATIA?

by Brian Gallagher

The Croatian Herald, Australia No. 968 - 30 May 2003

 

There has been speculation over a possible centre to be opened in Croatia to cater for Britain's asylum seekers. The asylum issue in Britain is possibly the top domestic political issue. It is a wholly negative one, and Croatia will be effectively importing it by opening such a centre. The resulting bad publicity could damage Croatia's tourist trade. It is important to know something of this issue to see why Croatia should not be involved.

Details about this centre are hard to come by. According to Croatia's Novi List and London's Sunday Telegraph such centres will not only be opened in Croatia but Albania and elsewhere. Apparently Britain's asylum seekers will be shipped off to these centres, which the UK hopes will deter applicants. This may be done via the European Union, and indeed a proposed EU tender has been advertised for such a centre in Dugo Selo. The European Commission's office in Zagreb informs me that the tender will be going ahead and that the beneficiary country will be Croatia, not the United Kingdom - which seems a bit odd. Why are they building this centre on behalf of Croatia? I will be pursuing this.

The UK home office informed me that there are no "current plans" to develop centres in Croatia but that the government is looking into "radical solutions" to asylum seekers. Developing these solutions are at an early stage and no implementation plans have been agreed. From all this we can conclude that the idea of a centre in Croatia to house asylum seekers to the UK has at the very least been seriously discussed.

The political issue in Britain runs as follows. The UK receives thousands of applications for asylum each year - last year a record number of 110,000. Although many of these are rejected, the press is replete with often dubious stories about "bogus" asylum seekers coming to Britain, claiming benefits, housing, committing crime and so on. Every other day sees a front-page newspaper headline along the lines of "Asylum madness" etc. The top selling 'The Sun' had a recent headline "Asylum Exposed" where one of its journalists posed as an asylum seeker, was able to smuggle himself into Britain and claim various benefits.. The day I write this, a tabloid has as its headline "Asylum War Criminals on our Streets" - apparently war criminals from African conflicts are claiming asylum. Not all press coverage is like that; "The Independent" had a headline "Asylum: The Facts" and attempted to refute some asylum myths.

Asylum centres in the UK have been controversial. One centre in Oxfordshire is to be closed down due to violence and riots. Proposed new centres are resisted by locals. Proposals for a new centre in Hampshire has been met with furious local opposition including protest marches and petitions. This is probably a major part of the thinking of opening centres abroad. Riots and local opposition are exported elsewhere - and Croatia, Albania and whoever else gets all the bad publicity. The British government's political problems are eased - and it will no doubt be cheaper too.

All this has had a major political impact. The asylum seekers issue - and its coverage in the press - has contributed to the unwelcome recent electoral gains by the racist British National Party, who have exploited people's fears. British MP's on the Home Affairs Select Committee have stated that the asylum issue could create social unrest.

Croatia needs to steer clear of this entire problem. Accepting asylum seekers from other countries will create bad publicity for Croatia, on a regular basis. The right wing press will portray Croatia as a 'dumping ground' and the effect of any riots or violence on liberal opinion will not be good. Croatia will not be seen as a desirable tourist destination. But it will also be bad for Britain. The sight of exporting asylum seekers - and some will be genuine and distressed - overseas will not be Britain's finest hour. Whether from Britain or the EU, such plans can only proceed with Croatia's assent.

Croatia should say no.

 

© Brian Gallagher

My 'Viewpoint from London' column appears fortnightly in the Australian 'Croatian Herald' and thereafter at www.croatiafocus.com