I meet a young man from Afghanistan.

Two families live in a small room in a deserted house, without running water or electricity.

Completely dependent on food from aid organizations.

He says that he tried on "the game", to get into Croatia, 25-26 times in four months.

Each time, he claims to have been arrested by Croatian border police, sometimes beaten and deprived of his mobile phone and money before being sent back to northern Bosnia.

Despite all this, he answers without blinking that life here in Bosnia is better than it was in Afghanistan.

- In Afghanistan, I never knew who would attack me.

There are no problems here.

Another migrant, Mahammad Javad from Pakistan, is well aware that he lacks asylum grounds and that he is not welcome in the EU.

But as soon as he comes in, he thinks that everything will work out.

He is prepared to live as a paperless person for a few years, after a while you can still get your papers in the end, he has heard.

Not welcome

During the days in northern Bosnia, I hear many similar stories.

People scattered in small tent camps or in desolate houses, left bombed after the Civil War in the 90s.

Fires debris and what they come across to try to keep warm.

All with their sights set on "the game".

In Bosnia they are not welcome, not even in the EU.

But despite that, and despite the fact that the circumstances are so miserable, almost no one wants to return to the country of origin.

There is an EU-funded program to help those who return voluntarily.

Of an estimated 10,000 migrants currently in Bosnia, 303 chose to take up the offer and return last year.

The emergency situation reflects a major problem.

There is still no solution that combines respect for asylum and human rights with the desire of the EU and its Member States to curb migration.

The message is that those who do not have grounds for asylum will not be allowed to stay, despite this, people continue to try.

And the price is high.

Divisions in the EU

The highest price is, of course, for those who have died in the Mediterranean, risk freezing to death in Bosnia or see their years run away in some dirty camp.

But there is also a political price for Europe.

The infected migration issue tears apart public opinion in the EU and creates major divisions within the Union and in the member states.

A consensus on migration within the EU is likely to be delayed.

But migrants will continue to seek refuge in Europe, as long as driving forces such as violence and poverty persist.

Photo: Filip Huygens