Slovenia is negotiating with Italy, Austria, and Hungary to form joint border police patrols along Slovenia's border with Croatia, Slovenian Interior Minister, Ales Hojs, told Slovenia's state television RTVSLO on Thursday. Pročitaj više

Hojs explained that the plan is underway due to the “expected influx of migrants” as presumably more migrants would try crossing into Slovenia from Croatia with the arrival of warm spring weather.

In recent years Bosnia and Herzegovina has become a popular stop for migrants on the so-called Balkan route. The migrants, originating mainly from the Middle East and northern African countries, usually go to northwestern Bosnia near its border with Croatia, in the hopes of traveling across a narrow section of Croatia’s territory to reach Slovenia – the closest country which is part of the EU’s border-less Schengen area.

Hojs, a member of a right-wing cabinet led by PM Janez Jansa known for anti-immigrant policies, also criticized Slovenian opposition for blocking proposed legislation allowing Slovenia’s military to help police patrolling Slovenia’s border with Croatia.

He added that the government was not considering the asking Croatian police to joint these border teams, saying that Croatia’s law enforcement authorities are “already pretty busy controlling their border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.”

Slovenia had also announced plans to set up an additional 60 kilometers of barbed wire and install video surveillance systems along its border with Croatia.