Slovenia is expanding controls at its internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary. The Slovenian government has decided to maintain border controls for another 20 days, until November 19, it said in a statement on Friday evening.
The border controls were initially introduced for ten days on October 21, meaning the measure would have ended on October 30. Ljubljana responded to the introduction of controls by Italy, which began controlling its border with Slovenia on the same day.
The Slovenian government has highlighted the increased threat of terrorism and security risks due to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. “The controls will continue to be specifically aimed at preventing terrorism, extremism and cross-border crime,” the government said.
Slovenia is modeled after Italy
Once the new extension expires, the checks could be extended for another month, the Home Office told STA news agency this week. Slovenia is likely to follow Italy’s lead in terms of the duration of controls. Rome has already indicated that it wants to continue controls on Slovenia until next year.
Border controls are expected to be a topic during Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob’s visit to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in mid-November. Golob expects Italy to lift controls before Christmas. This would allow Slovenia to do the same at its borders with Croatia and Hungary, he said on Thursday, according to the STA.
Focus on suspicious vehicles
The Slovenian police do not carry out systematic checks, but rather focus on potentially suspicious vehicles and passengers. Third-country nationals can only enter from the two neighboring countries at fourteen checkpoints, twelve of which are at the former border crossings with Croatia. Meanwhile, citizens of the EU and Schengen countries can also enter other places. So far there have been no major problems with the controls.
Source: Krone
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