Since the reinstatement of border checks along the Italian-Slovenian border on October 21st, Italian authorities have conducted stringent inspections on approximately 270,000 individuals and 150,000 vehicles entering the country, aiming to stem irregular migration.
During these checks, authorities detected around 2,200 undocumented migrants, predominantly of Turkish, Moroccan, Syrian, Kosovar, Northern Macedonian, or Afghan origin. Over 1,330 of them were promptly returned across the border. Additionally, 118 individuals were arrested, with 65 facing charges related to aiding clandestine immigration.
Despite the effectiveness of these measures, Italy, along with Croatia and Slovenia, is contemplating eliminating border checks by the onset of the summer tourist season. Plans are underway to replace current border practices with alternative cooperation models, considering the Schengen area’s regulations permit border controls only under exceptional circumstances.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi expressed gratitude towards his Slovenian and Croatian counterparts, Bostjan Poklukar and Davor Bozinovic, during a migration-focused meeting held in Brdo, Slovenia, on March 21st. Piantedosi commended the collaborative efforts in addressing migration challenges, highlighting the development of operational strategies and enhanced dialogue among the three nations.
The collaborative efforts include reinforcing joint patrols with Slovenian forces, initiating trilateral patrols along the Croatian external border, establishing a permanent Italian-Slovenian committee, and creating national-level contact points for seamless information exchange.
Meanwhile, Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic disclosed plans to implement joint police border patrols in the border regions shortly. He noted a 17% decrease in irregular migrant entries into Croatia since the beginning of the year, attributing it to the ongoing collaborative measures among the three countries.
As discussions progress on the transition from border controls to cooperative models, Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia remain committed to addressing migration challenges effectively while upholding the principles of the Schengen agreement.