Bozinovic was attending a video conference of EU interior ministers, their first informal meeting under the German presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Strengthening cross-border police cooperation is also key to lifting controls on the internal borders and returning to the normal functioning of the Schengen area and its expansion, which is very important for Croatia, Bozinovic said according to a press release issued by the Interior Ministry.
During the discussion on search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean, Bozinovic said that the increased engagement of Frontex in preventing illegal border crossings in the eastern Mediterranean, in which the Croatian police also participate, had proved successful.
He stressed that simultaneously with the systematic upgrading of protection of the Union's external borders and search and rescue operations at sea, and for the sake of the long-term sustainability of the asylum systems of the EU countries, efforts should also be made to strengthen the policy of repatriating people who do not meet the criteria for international protection in the EU's territory.
In this context, Bozinovic recalled that during its presidency of the EU Croatia had put emphasis on strengthening cooperation with third countries regarding readmission.
He supported the chairman's view about the need to develop cooperation with north African countries, notably Libya, Algeria and Tunisia, so as to address the root causes of migration, prevent risky crossings across the Mediterranean and more effectively curb people smuggling.
As a model, Bozinovic cited cooperation between Spain and Morocco in curbing migratory pressures along the western Mediterranean route, the press release said.