Hungary's northern neighbor has experienced a large increase in illegal entries since the beginning of the year.Continue reading
Slovenian Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar is proposing to extend border controls at the Croatian and Hungarian borders after the original 10-day period expires on Monday, according to Slovenian public television. The minister made the announcement on Thursday when he visited two major road border crossings with Hungary- Pince and Dolga (Hosszúfalu).
Slovenia reintroduced temporary border controls on its borders with Croatia and Hungary on October 21, initially for ten days, with a possible extension of up to two months (including the ten days).
The Slovenian government justified its decision to reintroduce border controls, in particular on the basis of threats to public order and internal security in the EU, the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine, and recent terrorist attacks in some EU Member States.
The minister said that he will meet his Italian and Croatian counterparts in Trieste, Italy on November 2 to discuss security challenges and responses to the terrorist threat, as well as measures taken at the border and in the region. Italy has already indicated that checkpoints at the Slovenian border are expected to be maintained throughout the winter.
The minister expressed his satisfaction with the effectiveness of the controls at the border with Hungary. “Here at the Pince border crossing point, the Slovenian police are working well and efficiently,” he told journalists, adding that on Thursday, police officers had intercepted two people smugglers who tried to escape from border control but were caught a few kilometers away.
He noted that he was particularly pleased that there had been no complaints from local residents about the border controls. “So the measures we have taken are proportionate and do not make life difficult for local people on either side of the border,” he said.
Slovenia has set up 14 checkpoints on the Croatian and Hungarian borders, 12 on the former and two on the latter.
EU citizens can use all border crossing points, while third-country nationals can only cross the border at these 14 points.
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Boštjan Poklukar