ZAGREB, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Croatia was integrated into the Schengen Information System (SIS) on Tuesday, a step closer to becoming part of the Schengen Area.
The Schengen information sharing system for security and border management contains valuable data for police and security forces, including details of more than 200,000 wanted persons, vehicles, documents and objects.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was briefed on the SIS at a police office in Bregana, a border crossing between Croatia and Slovenia, Croatian newspaper Vecernji List reported.
Plenkovic said Croatia's integration into the SIS is one step taken in the inclusion of Croatia into the Schengen Area.
"The fact that our services, the police and diplomatic representatives will be able to check information will increase the efficiency of the Croatian police and security services and thus give us more insight into everything that exists at the EU level," said the prime minister.
Addressing complaints about traffic jams at border crossings, Plenkovic said there was no direct link between long waiting hours at border controls and recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, London, Manchester or Paris.
"However, terrorism is a reality, and we need to have a very serious response...A country located at an important geopolitical position must enable good transport links to eastern Europe and easy entry of tourists into Croatia," he said.
The Balkan country became an EU member in 2013, and is yet to meet all criteria for joining the Schengen Area, which encompasses most EU members, except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and Britain.
