Slovenian authorities say that they detained 249 migrants between Friday and Monday along the western part of the border with Croatia. Most were from Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.
According to a statement issued by the Koper district police in Slovenia, some 249 people were detained between Friday and Sunday along the western part of the border with Croatia while trying to cross the border illegally. Most were from Afghanistan (136), Pakistan (68), or Bangladesh (11). On the basis of information gathered thus far, 25 of them have filed an asylum request while the others will be handed over to the Croatian police. Identification procedures are still underway. During the same period, the statement noted, Italian police handed over 5 migrants to the Slovenian security forces.
Official statistics say that, since the beginning of the year, Slovenian police have stopped 2,369 migrants compared with 1,846 in the same period of the previous year. Most were from Pakistan (733), Afghanistan (324), or Turkey (259).
Government adopts migration management guidelines
Last week, the Slovenian government adopted a strategy on migration with guidelines for both legal and illegal migration to adopt more specific measures for the various type of migrants. The document was drafted by a working group with representatives from several ministries and departments and will serve as a reference point for dealing with migration flows, including through dialogue and partnership between the migrants' countries of origin and their target countries.
Some 6.4 percent of the Slovenia population consists of foreigners. The government noted that the strategy on migration, a program point in the coalition accord, is necessary for better understanding of such a complex phenomenon. One of the aims of the strategy is to provide rapid, effective procedures to establish the eligibility for international protection and identify abuses thereof at the same time.
From 1995 until the end of 2018, Slovenia granted international protection to 818 citizens of third countries. Through this initiative, the government aims also to reduce emigration and, through concrete measures, encourage expatriates to return home to Slovenia.
SOURCE: InfoMigrants
