The Italian Minister of Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, met with his Slovenian and Croatian counterparts, Boštjan Poklukar and Davor Božinović, during a trilateral meeting in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, on January 20. At a joint press conference, Piantedosi emphasized the significant decrease in irregular migration at Italy’s border with Slovenia.
"The figures show that the temporary reinstatement of our border controls has had a deterrent effect on irregular entries," Piantedosi stated. "From October 21, 2023, to January 15, 2025, approximately 6,200 irregular migrants crossed the Slovenian border into Italy -- a 48 percent decrease compared to the same period from October 21, 2022, to January 14, 2024."
He added: "Since the implementation of this measure, approximately 2,300 individuals have been reported, and 318 were arrested, 160 for aiding and abetting clandestine migration. With specific reference to preventing terrorism, at the same time, we flagged 188 persons to the data bank of the Schengen Police."
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Slovenia minister highlights regional cooperation
Slovenian Minister of Interior Boštjan Poklukar emphasized the shared commitment to regional cooperation. He said "Together we are stronger." He also expressed hope for removing border controls in the future, stating, "We all want to lift these measures when the right conditions allow."
The discussions focused on joint efforts to manage migration and internal security, particularly along the Balkan route. The three countries’ Ministries of Interior and police forces agreed on a coordinated strategy to address these issues.
On the side of the meeting, the Director Generals of the Police forces of the three countries drafted an operational MOU to agree on the way to implement the trilateral border patrols on the outward border of Croatia.
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Croatian minister: 'Stopping migrant smugglers together'
Croatian Minister of Interior Davor Božinović highlighted efforts to combat migrant smuggling and strengthen cooperation with Western Balkan countries. “One key focus is the signing of an agreement between Bosnia and Frontex to enhance cooperation on irregular migration and counterterrorism," he said.
The Croatian minister also shared recent data: "During the first three weeks of 2025, illegal migrant transits decreased by 60 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Furthermore, last year 1,834 smugglers were arrested, a similar figure to the previous year but with a reduction of the number of migrants, therefore we strengthened activities in this sector."
He stressed the importance of identifying high-risk areas and improving information exchange between countries. "We know the regions in Croatia most exposed to migration flows. Our trilateral cooperation ensures rapid communication and coordinated action. We will prioritize border patrols to disrupt smuggling networks."