But Prime Minister Miro Cerar, whose country last month found itself on the main Balkans route for thousands of migrants after Hungary sealed its southern borders, insisted that its frontier would remain open.
"We decided yesterday to start building over the following days on the Schengen border with Croatia some temporary technical obstacles," Cerar said Tuesday in the capital, Ljubljana.
"These obstacles, including fences if needed, will have the objective of directing migrants towards the border crossings. We are not closing our borders," he said.
Cerar said at this moment, "about 30,000 immigrants are on their way toward Slovenia" and that "a big number" of them could be stranded in the small Alpine state if neighboring Austria restricts its flow to an average of 6,000 a day.
An increased surge of migrants is expected across the Balkans as thousands were stranded in Greece last week due to a ferry strike that prevented many from leaving Greek islands that were their first destination after a perilous sea crossing from Turkey.
Slovenia had been a staunch critic of fences between EU countries.
More than 170,000 migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Asia and Africa have crossed Slovenia since mid-October when Hungary closed its southern border with Croatia and effectively forced migrants to cross Slovenia to reach Austria.
voanews.com
10/11/15
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Slovenia has said it will put up "temporary technical obstacles" on its border with Croatia to control the growing flow of migrants...
ReplyDeletePrime Minister Miro Cerar said this could include fences "if needed", but stressed border crossings would remain open.
More than 170,000 migrants have crossed into Slovenia since October, when Hungary closed its border with Croatia.
Some 30,000 more are expected in Slovenia over the next few days.
The UN estimates more than 700,000 migrants - fleeing wars and conflicts in the Middle East and north Africa - have arrived in Europe this year.
Many are trying to reach Germany, crossing in the process the Balkan nations, Slovenia and Hungary.
'Humanitarian disaster'
"We decided yesterday (Monday) to start building over the following days on... the border with Croatia some temporary technical obstacles", Mr Cerar told reporters in the capital Ljubljana on Tuesday.
"These obstacles, including fences if needed, will have the objective of directing migrants towards the border crossings. We are not closing our borders.".........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34779849