Slovenia Prolongs Schengen Border Controls with Croatia, Hungary

(MENAFN) On Sunday, the Slovenian government declared it will prolong temporary border controls with Croatia and Hungary for an additional six months, citing escalating security risks, including an increased terrorism threat.

Originally introduced on October 21, 2023, these controls will now continue until December 21, 2025. The previous extension was due to end this Saturday.

Interior Minister Bostjan Poklukar explained the decision was driven by the worsening security landscape in the Middle East, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the "complicated situation" in the Western Balkans, and heightened terrorism concerns across multiple European Union states.

He pointed out that conditions in these regions have deteriorated since the last border check extension.

Despite the prolongation, officials assured the public that the measures would not interfere with travel during the upcoming summer vacation period, as only targeted inspections will be conducted.

Slovenia first implemented these border controls in October 2023, shortly after Italy introduced similar checks on its border with Slovenia. Both nations have renewed these measures multiple times since then.

According to Slovenian authorities, 5,781 illegal border crossings were recorded in the first four months of 2025—a nearly 60 percent drop compared to the same timeframe last year. Requests for international protection also decreased by almost half during this period.

Besides Slovenia and Italy, several other Schengen countries, including Austria, Germany, Denmark, France, Norway, and Sweden, currently enforce border controls.

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