Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said on Wednesday that his government was determined to remove barriers from the border with Croatia, set up in an attempt to deter migrants from crossing into the country. Golob called the fence inhumane and said it was not serving its purpose.

“We insist on making good on our announcement that we will remove them. The police are working on an operational plan to remove the fence and wire,” Golob said in response to questions from the press after a government session.

Official reports from the border police show that illegal border crossings are on the rise once again, and that migratory pressure has been growing in recent months.

When asked if the plan to remove the fence should be postponed, Golob said no, because the increased illegal border crossings just confirm that such obstacles are not serving their purpose and are also inhumane and dangerous.

“We now have a very bad situation in asylum centres and homes for migrants because the previous government did not want to deal with this problem,” Golob said, explaining that the centres were overcrowded due to illegal migrants caught by police crossing the southern border but also with refugees from Ukraine who are subjected to excessive bureaucratic procedures.

Golob said his government is therefore preparing organisational and other changes to improve the situation with migrants and refugees and make it more humane.

According to him, refugees from Ukraine now have to wait two to three months to receive a decision on their status, which is a precondition to be eligible for legal rights awarded to them during the previous government of Janez Jansa.