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Slovenia Extends Border Controls with Croatia and Hungary, Aims for Mixed Patrols Canva

Slovenia Extends Border Controls with Croatia and Hungary, Aims for Mixed Patrols

Written by  May 23, 2024

The Slovenian Minister of the Interior, Boštjan Poklukar, announced that Slovenia will extend border controls with Croatia and Hungary for another six months, until December 21, reports the Slovenian agency STA.

Poklukar stated that the monitoring will continue to focus on preventing crime, with minimal impact on the local population.

Slovenia made this decision on the same day that the Italian Ministry of the Interior announced that controls on the border with Slovenia will continue for another six months, writes the Italian agency ANSA.

Slovenia and Italy introduced these controls in October due to the worsening security situation in the Middle East and the increased threat of terrorism.

As Poklukar explained at a press conference, the situation there has not improved or is getting worse: "Since the situation has not improved, and the security situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate, Slovenia will extend the controls for the next six months."

Two major events in the EU this summer - the European Football Championship in Germany and the Olympic Games in France - require additional attention at the borders, according to the Minister of the Interior.

According to the minister, the controls will continue to be targeted.

ANSA writes that the Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi said in a telephone conversation with Poklukar that the decision to extend the controls is partly related to the heightened security level due to Italy's presidency of the G7 format.

Italy's presidency will last until December 31 this year, and the most important meeting, the one attended by the leaders of the seven states, will be held from June 13 to 15 in Apulia, according to the official website.

In March, Croatian Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović expressed hope that internal border controls would be replaced with another cooperation mechanism by the start of the tourist season.

On Wednesday, Poklukar expressed hope that Slovenia could reach an agreement with Croatia and Italy to establish mixed police patrols to help monitor the external Schengen border in Croatia.

"This is one of the alternative measures, so it would then be possible to eliminate internal controls between Italy and Slovenia, Slovenia and Croatia, and Slovenia and Hungary, but that agreement has not yet been reached," he said, emphasizing that it is now up to Croatia to take action.

 

The Voice of Dubrovnik

THE VOICE OF DUBROVNIK


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