The Slovenian police are sending a second group of six police officers to Macedonia from 10 February to 11 March 2016 to carry out joint patrols and joint controls of crossing the state border, as part of the joint operation in the management of the increased migrant flow.

The following officers are set to go to Macedonia: Bojan Šumah and Boris Josipović from the Specialised Unit for State Border Control, of the Border Police Division at the General Police Directorate, Aleksander Salmič from the Police Station for Compensatory Measures at the Celje Police Directorate, Bojan Jovanović from the Traffic Police Station of the Celje Police Directorate, Jaka Horvat from the Police Station for Compensatory Measures of the Maribor Police Directorate, and Vasja Fric from the Service Dog Handlers Police Station of the Maribor Police Directorate.

The working meeting was also attended by Vladimir Pocek, Head of the International Police Operations Division within the Service of Director General of the Police, Roman Čoh from the same Division and Marko Černel, who led the first group of Slovenian police, who had some days before returned from their assignment in Macedonia.

Police officers will perform their tasks in the area of the Bogorodica Police Station for Border Control and Border Surveillance and on the green border outside the Bogorodica border crossing point. Occasionally they will also help out at the Temporary Transition Centre - Gevgelija, where migrants are registered.

In Macedonia the Slovenian officers will wear their working police uniforms and use service vehicles and equipment for state border control. They are taking a service dog with them, a Belgian shepherd called Rex.

The tasks, rights and duties of the Slovenian police officers in the first such deployment of the Republic of Slovenia are detailed in the Protocol between the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, Police, and the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia, Public Security Bureau, on joint patrols on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia in the framework of joint operation.

A day before departure, the officers were received by Director General Marjan Fank, who had no doubt that the police officers would excel in their work as they are all very experienced  and knowledgeable in this area of work. Mr Fank wished the team a safe journey and successful mission.

Police Activities in Connection with Current Migration Flows