As reported by T-Portal, Slovenia has requested a meeting with Croatian authorities in order to demand that Croatia introduces stricter identification procedures for migrants and refugees. This was stated on December 29, 2015 by Slovenian State Secretary Boštjan Šefic, who is in charge of Slovenian government’s response to the refugee crisis. “We have proposed a meeting at the level of two border police forces on the subject of stricter controls and more precise identification of migrants”, said Šefic, according to Slovenian television.
Due to the increased control of migrants which was introduced on Saturday by Austria, which has engaged interpreters for Arabic language to re-examine migrants whether they come from war-affected countries or from countries which are deemed to be safe, Austrian authorities have in recent days refused to allow entry into the country for hundreds of migrants from Slovenia.
Slovenian government does not believe that represents a change in policy towards migrants, but just shows that Vienna is vigilant due to the potential terrorist threats in Europe before the New Year holidays. However, there are some interpretations that the new procedures introduced by Austrian police towards migrants reflect the announced tightening of border controls at the Schengen borders which was proposed by the European Commission on 16 December.
If that proposal were to be accepted, police would in the future have the right to control the documents at the entrance to the Schengen Area of even those travellers who have the right of free movement in the Schengen area, and would further carry out inspections of their vehicles as well. Šefic said that Slovenia is reserved about the proposed changes because it would increase the scope of work for its police force on the border with Croatia and cause delays at the border, especially during the tourist season.
In the meantime, the influx of refugees in Croatia continues. From midnight to 9 pm on Tuesday, 4,253 refugees entered Croatia. There were 1,069 people accommodated at the temporary refugee centre in Slavonski Brod. Since the beginning of the migration crisis, 552,071 migrants and refugees have passed through Croatia.
