Cooperation with neighbouring countries in detecting and preventing illegal migrations is essential, therefore we conducted tighter joint control of the border between Slovenia and Croatia with the Croatian police in the period 13-15 March 2024, focusing on border sections where most illegal crossings had been recorded. This year, Slovenian authorities have dealt with more than 7,850 third-country citizens that crossed the border illegally.

In advance of this the Slovenian and Croatian police harmonised their operational plans for control, focusing on those border sections where an increased risk of unauthorised migration had been identified. Tighter control is thus focused mainly on the areas of the Novo mesto, Koper and Ljubljana police administrations. This year, Slovenian authorities have dealt with more than 7,850 third-country citizens that crossed the internal border illegally.

Tighter control also involves the participation of both specialised border control units, staffed by police officers that are specially trained for cross-border crime identification. Slovenian police officers run mixed patrols on the Croatian side of the border. Mixed patrols are also operating on the Slovenian side of the border. They are part of the coordinated work of border police forces of the two countries.

During the period of tighter border control, the Slovenian police identified 127 illegal migrants who had arrived from Croatia. Their ranks included predominantly migrants from Syria, Afghanistan, Morocco and Bangladesh. The police also found four migrant smugglers (two Ukrainians, two Romanians and one Serbian). In the past two days, the Croatian police discovered 172 migrants and three migrant smugglers on the border sections with Slovenia covered by joint mixed patrols and an additional six migrant smugglers in the remaining areas.

Normally, more migrants are apprehended on the Slovenian side of the border, but with the deployment of additional Croatian police officers to the border with Slovenia and mixed patrols with Slovenian police officers, the efficiency of the police work has increased, so that by working together migrants and smugglers can be detected before they illegally enter Slovenia.

Through intensified joint control on both sides of the border we increase our ability to detect illegal migrations and cross-border crime, which is also shown by the operational results. Slovenia's police strive to join their forces with neighbouring countries and beyond, since a joint approach is absolutely necessary in order to manage migrations.

Smuggling of people – statistics

In 2023, the Slovenian police dealt with 479 cases (compared to 242 in 2022), in which 557 people smugglers (548 foreigners and 9 Slovenian citizens) with 3,280 illegal migrants were arrested. 514 smugglers were remanded in custody. In 2024, by 1 March, the Slovenian police had handled 121 cases (compared to 27 in the same period last year), in which 137 people smugglers (135 foreigners and 2 Slovenian citizens) with 757 illegal migrants were arrested.