Minister Poklukar at the Meeting of EU Interior Ministers in Brussels

The European Commission presented to ministers the Schengen Barometer, a situational update on the state of the Schengen area. "I am pleased that Slovenia's efforts to find solutions to stem illegal migration in a trilateral format with Italy and Croatia – including trilateral patrols on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina – and to strengthen cooperation with the Western Balkans, especially in the fight against organised smuggling rings, have been recognised," said Minister Poklukar.

An exchange of views followed on the implementation of the priorities for the 2024-2025 Schengen cycle, focusing on increasing the effectiveness of the return of persons who do not have the right to stay in the European Union. "Return is one of the fundamental aspects of a comprehensive and credible migration policy and is an important element of the European integrated border management," the Minister stressed, adding: "It is important that we take a united approach to third countries. It is encouraging that this area is increasingly being integrated into comprehensive partnerships with third countries." He further added that Slovenia supports the amendment of Frontex's mandate so that in the future Frontex can assist third countries, including partners in the Western Balkans, in implementing return to countries of origin. "In order to bridge the national gaps, we believe that an overhaul of legislation at EU level is crucial. The new legal framework should include measures to prevent absconding before return and to prevent repeated applications for international protection. In addition to rights, the obligations of the foreigner should be defined and consequences should be foreseen in case of non-cooperation," the Minister added.

Ministers agreed on a general approach to a proposal for a regulation allowing for the progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System. The proposal allows member states to launch the system gradually over a period of 180 days from its entry into operation. The transitional period will start from the moment when the European Commission receives declarations from all 27 member states that they are ready for the phased-in Entry/Exit System. Slovenia has already sent its declaration of readiness to apply the system. The Entry/Exit system, which is part of the Interoperability of Justice and Home Affairs Information Systems, is expected to be operational in practice by the end of 2025.

Ministers also received a state of play of the external dimension of migration, with a focus on the situation in Syria. Ministers exchanged views on the current geopolitical situation and its implications for the internal security of the European Union. In this context, Minister Poklukar stressed the importance of a unified approach, coordination and regular discussions at EU level. From Slovenia's point of view, it is essential to have the best possible information on the development of the security situation. It is important to provide support for the return to normality, which would also reduce the likelihood of prisoners reverting to terrorism or extremism. Coordinated action by member states, the exchange of information between member states in the framework of Europol and Interpol, the fight against disinformation and the containment of radicalisation and extremism are also important.

From the perspective of the situation in Ukraine, Slovenia does not currently perceive a direct impact of the war on the crime situation, but we are aware of the possibility that an impact could be seen in the medium to long term. We are therefore closely monitoring crime developments in Slovenia and the European Union with a view to responding in a timely manner to any changes. Preventive measures to monitor the smuggling of arms and ammunition from Ukraine are also important in this context.

Over a working lunch, European Union interior ministers met with representatives of the Latin American Committee on Internal Security. The discussion focused on strengthening cooperation in the fight against organised crime. A progress report on the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime was also presented at the meeting.