On Saturday, 21 October 2023, at 00:00, in accordance with the government ordinance, we will reintroduce controls at Slovenia's internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary. The details of this measure and the reasons for it were presented today in a press statement by Marko Gašperlin, Director of the Uniformed Police Directorate at the General Police Directorate. He also explained what this means for passengers.

At border crossing points, we will again check whether travellers meet the conditions to enter the country

The Ministry of the Interior proposed to the government the reintroduction of temporary controls at the internal borders with Croatia and Hungary, to take effect from the entry into force of the Italian notification on 21 October 2023. In accordance with the agreement, an ordinance reintroducing temporary controls at the internal borders with the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Hungary and an order determining border crossing points with the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Hungary at which crossing the state border will be permitted during the period of the reintroduction of temporary controls have been prepared.

As Gašperlin explained, the reintroduction of temporary controls at the borders with Croatia and Hungary means that when travellers enter Slovenia, police officers will check whether they meet the conditions for entry and whether they have the appropriate documents to cross the border. When carrying out border checks, officers will pay particular attention to persons who may pose a risk of organised crime and terrorism.

Travellers will therefore only be able to cross the border at border crossing points determined by the order. "At some border crossing points – the most important road and railway crossing points – everyone (EU and non-EU citizens) will be able to cross the border, and we will also carry out border checks there. At the other category of border crossing points, only citizens of Slovenia and the European Union, or persons enjoying the right to free movement under EU law, will be allowed to cross the border," he said, adding that the border population will be able to exercise their right to cross the border in the same way as before Croatia's entry into the Schengen area.

Border checks will be carried out by police officers from police stations for compensatory measures, who are specially trained to carry out border checks. Between border crossing points, we will carry out "green border" surveillance with teams of officers in charge of compensatory measures at the regional police stations.

For detailed information on border crossing points please visit the ministry's press release: Crossing the border with the neighbouring countries

What are the reasons for the temporary reintroduction of controls at the internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary?

In the light of the current developments in the wider region, we believe that there are compelling reasons for Slovenia to reintroduce controls at the internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary.

Recent events confirm that members of various terrorist movements are withdrawing from areas of armed conflict to avoid possible consequences for their actions. At the same time, there is a risk that these persons could infiltrate mixed migration flows and attempt to enter EU countries illegally, also by using smuggling networks.

Slovenian security authorities are closely monitoring potential risks and the security situation in our country and in the wider region, as well as factors that could influence the radicalisation of individuals and the spread of violent extremism.

In which cases does the Schengen Code allow a country to reintroduce controls at its borders?

The Schengen Borders Code provides that a member state may reintroduce controls at all or specific parts of its internal borders in the event of a serious threat to public policy or internal security.

According to Article 28 of the Code, internal border controls may be re-established for a limited period of up to ten days in cases requiring immediate action. At the same time, the country must notify the other member states and the European Commission, stating the reasons justifying the use of the procedure. The duration of the temporary reintroduction of controls may be prolonged in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code. The reintroduction of internal border controls should only be effected in exceptional cases, as a measure of last resort, respecting the principles of proportionality and necessity.

In Slovenia, the temporary reintroduction of internal border controls is also defined in Article 36 of the State Border Control Act (ZNDM-2).

Related content

The ministry's press release in English: Crossing the border with the neighbouring countries

The ministry's press release in Italian: Attraversamento del confine con i paesi limitrofi

The ministry's press release in Hungarian: Határátlépés a szomszédos országokkal közös határszakaszokon

Internal Schengen border