Slovenia extends border controls with Croatia, Hungary amid security concerns

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian government announced on Sunday that it is extending temporary controls on its internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary for another six months, citing heightened security concerns, including an increased threat of terrorism.

Under the new decision, the border controls, which were first introduced on Oct 21, 2023, will now remain in place until Dec 21 this year. The previous extension was set to expire on Saturday.

Slovenian Interior Minister Bostjan Poklukar said the move was prompted by the worsening security situation in the Middle East, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the "complicated situation" in the Western Balkans, and an elevated terrorism threat level across several European Union countries.

He noted that security conditions in these regions have deteriorated since the last extension of border checks.

Despite the extension, the government assured the public that the additional measures would not disrupt travel during the upcoming summer holiday season, as only targeted checks would be carried out.

In October 2023, Slovenia introduced border controls shortly after Italy imposed similar checks on its border with Slovenia. Both countries have since renewed the measures multiple times.

According to the Slovenian authorities, 5,781 illegal border crossings were recorded in the first four months of 2025, representing a decrease of nearly 60 percent compared to the same period last year. Applications for international protection also fell by almost 50 percent during the same period.

In addition to Slovenia and Italy, several other Schengen Area countries, including Austria, Germany, Denmark, France, Norway, and Sweden, are currently implementing border checks.