Before the vacation season

Border controls with Italy and Slovenia to be abolished

Italy, Croatia and Slovenia want to abolish controls at their respective borders by the start of the next tourist season and replace them with a different cooperation mechanism. Joint border controls are planned. 

This was stated by Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović at the end of a meeting in Brdo, Slovenia, with his Italian counterpart Matteo Piantedosi and Slovenian Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar.

"Our common goal is to replace internal controls with another cooperation mechanism before this year's tourist season starts in June," said Božinović.

Strong increase in migration in Bosnia
At the meeting, it was also agreed to set up joint police patrols in the border areas between the three countries as soon as possible. Božinović noted that the number of migrants entering Croatia illegally since the beginning of the year had fallen by 17 percent compared to the same period last year, while it had risen by 40 percent in neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since the introduction of border controls at the Italian-Slovenian border in October, more than 2,200 irregular foreigners have been apprehended. Of these, 1300 were turned back, reported Italian Interior Minister Piantedosi. The Ministry of the Interior in Rome announced that 118 people had been arrested, 65 of whom were arrested for smuggling.