After the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, Minister Boštjan Poklukar said the ministers took note of the situation in the Schengen area. "As you are aware, the functionality of the Schengen area is hindered by prolonged controls at internal borders, this needs to be made clear. Nonetheless, there is a positive development to highlight; Slovakia (on the border with Hungary), the Czech Republic (on the border with Slovakia), and Poland (on the border with Slovakia) have recently lifted controls at their internal borders. In the past two months, there has been a notable increase in illegal entries into the Republic of Slovenia, which is why we will not yet be lifting temporary controls on our borders. As long as the terrorist threat level in Slovenia remains at a moderate level, internal controls will remain in place."

The Minister welcomed the partial admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area in terms of air and sea travel. Slovenia has been actively supporting their accession. "I am hoping to see them become full members of the Schengen area by year-end. The more countries are protecting the external Schengen border, the more secure the EU will be."

The collective fight against migrant smuggling, encompassing two new legislative proposals, was identified as a key aspect of migration management. As a transit country on the Western Balkans route, Slovenia is apprehensive about the region's status as a critical transit area for migrant smuggling. However, addressing such cross-border challenges cannot be effectively undertaken independently; instead, they must be collectively addressed within the framework of enhanced regional cooperation.

"The Western Balkans route has witnessed high levels of activity in recent months. All countries along the route are dealing with a surge in the number of illegal entries across their borders. During informal discussions with several ministers today, I emphasised the need to consider the introduction of visas on the Western Balkans route for third-country nationals who legally enter Western Balkan countries and subsequently infiltrate the EU illegally. Slovenia's initiative, supported by Croatia, to provide Frontex access to the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the solutions for exerting control over irregular migration and effectively managing it," stated Minister Poklukar.

In the area of migration management, an important role is played by Frontex. The European Commission presented a report on the evaluation of Frontex's legal basis. The ministers found the legal basis for the extended mandate to be suitable for further work, particularly in providing support to member states at the most critical parts of the EU's external borders.

Over a working lunch, the ministers discussed the implications of the conflict in the Middle East and the Russian aggression in Ukraine for the internal security of the EU. In the format of the Schengen Council, the Belgian presidency updated member states on the progress made towards the interoperability of EU information systems. The entry/exit system is expected to enter into operation on 6 October 2024.

The Belgian presidency also presented the state of play of negotiations on regulations to prevent and combat child sexual abuse. In this context, Slovenia supports the establishment of a long-term EU legal framework to effectively combat online child abuse, with a focus on emphasizing the importance of respecting fundamental human rights, including privacy and personal data protection. Slovenia also advocates for clear rules with reliable conditions and safeguards. It is essential to ensure the consistency of legislative provisions, making sure they are balanced, prudent, and unambiguous, while also aligning with constitutionally guaranteed safeguards.

The meeting agenda also included addressing the security aspect of combating drug trafficking and organised crime. The Belgian Presidency provided an overview of ongoing activities across various forums. These efforts include enhancing the resilience of logistics hubs, collaborating with third countries, strengthening police and judicial cooperation, mapping criminal networks that pose the greatest threat to society, reinforcing preventive measures–inclusive of administrative actions–and preventing the recruitment of minors. These activities will continue to be prioritised and addressed by relevant working groups under the Council of the EU. The implementation of actions outlined in the EU Roadmap hinges on enhanced coordination among various stakeholders, including member states, EU institutions, decentralised agencies, and other partners. Ministers are set to assess the progress made during the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in June.

Minister Poklukar announced the Brdo Process Ministerial Conference scheduled to take place on 21 and 22 March in Brdo pri Kranju. An invitation to the conference was extended to all interior ministers of the Western Balkan countries and Slovenia’s neighbouring countries. The Brdo Process, initiated by Slovenia in 2001, serves as a cooperative platform in the field of home affairs in the Western Balkans region and has demonstrated its effectiveness and constructiveness over the years. On the margins of the ministerial conference, a trilateral meeting involving the interior ministers of Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia will be held. Following this ministerial meeting, operational meetings of police chiefs are planned with the aim to strengthen cooperation and address shared security challenges.