Slovenia not ruling out fence along border with Croatia

Slovenia is not ruling out the possibility of building a fence along its border with Croatia, Prime Minister Miro Cerar has said.

Izvor: Beta

Friday, 23.10.2015.

12:20

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(Beta/AP, file)

Slovenia not ruling out fence along border with Croatia

"We are considering that possibility, but the time has not yet come. We still hope for a solution at the European level, but if we lose hope, if on Sunday we do not get enough (assistance), everything will be possible because we will be left in the lurch," he told the public television in the night between Thursday and Friday.

The leader of the political center wing in Slovenia pointed out that a fence on the border with Croatia would be the last resort, among other things because it is difficult to put this idea into practice.

"The border with Croatia is long (670 kilometers), and raising a fence would be quite complicated - and even if this is done the police and the army would have to guard it constantly to prevent illegal crossings," he said.

Slovenia hopes to get EUR 140 million from the mini EU-Balkans summit of the migrant crisis scheduled for Sunday, as well as help in logistics and manpower to cope with the influx of refugees. In addition, the country is calling for effective control of entry into the EU on the Greek-Turkish border - something that member-states have agreed on, but are yet to implement.

From October 17, when due to the closure of the Hungarian border with Croatia refugees have been redirected towards Slovenia, 38,600 entered the country. Slovenia has a population of two million.

Hungary has for a long time maintained a tough position with regard to the refugees crisis, and has already closed its borders with Serbia and Croatia with fences.

AFP is reporting on Friday that Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz "warned the surge into Europe had become too big," and that EU members "had a responsibility to protect their borders."

Border fences in Hungary and other EU countries had proven effective in tackling the crisis, Kurz said, adding: "The question is whether you want them or not."

Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner said yesterday it was "time for the EU to build fortress Europe."

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