By Vida Kocjan
The Ministry of the Interior, headed by Tatjana Bobnar, announced yesterday that the police have recorded an increased number of illegal border crossings in the recent period, and they expect an increased number in the future as well. They stated that this was expected, adding at the same time that this does not affect the security of the country.
They did not tell them where this information came from. The fact is that criminals in Slovenia are not classified by nationality. Even less according to whether an act was committed by a migrant or a native. Therefore, such statements are fabricated.
Simona Zavratnik from the office of Minister Tatjana Bobnar (otherwise a colleague of the Peace Institute from Metelkova street) and Tomaž Pavček from the Uniformed Police Administration, Border Police Sector, also presented some information in yesterday’s press release.
In the period from January 1st to July 31st, 2022, 8,212 illegal crossings of the state border were dealt with (4,495 last year). The number increased by 82.7 percent compared to the same period last year. As much as 88 percent of all those arrested who illegally crossed the state border stated their intention to seek international protection. There were 7196 of them this year, 1857 last year. The increase is 3.87 times.
Zavratnik apparently announced the preparation of a comprehensive migration strategy on behalf of Minister Bobnar. As a well-known advocate of migration at the Peace Institute, she emphasised that “migration is a constant in human societies, globalisation has opened many paths, and countries must address this complexity above all with high democratic standards”. The colleague of the Peace Institute, for whom it is currently not even known whether she is even employed in the cabinet of the Minister of the Interior or whether she performs her work in some other contractual relationship, also emphasised that all forms of migrants will be considered when drafting the legislation, i.e., no one will be classified as more or less similar to us. “The fundamental guarantor of modern migration policies is respect for human rights, and we at the Ministry of the Interior are committed to this starting point,” she said.
There are many responses to what has been said
Janez Janša, the president of the previous government, wrote on Twitter: “Public acknowledgment of the ministry and the government that they announced the removal of the border fence in order to increase the flow of illegal migrants!!”
Dr Anton Olaj, Director General of the Police during Janša’s government, wrote: “Tearing down the border fence and the de facto implementation of the ‘non-binding’ Marrakesh Declaration will, of course, have noticeable negative consequences for the safety of people in Slovenia. I think that when making such decisions, the well-being of the people of the Republic of Slovenia should not be neglected.”
MP Branko Grims announced: “Minister Bobnar, you swore to the constitution and legal order of Slovenia. Your job is to ensure security and prevent and prosecute illegality. Your PR presentation of a false reality, facilitating illegality, and causing danger is therefore clearly unconstitutional conduct. Stand down!”
He further explained that this will certainly be followed by an interpellation against the work of Tatjana Bobnar, and according to his belief, a constitutional indictment of the Prime Minister is also possible.