Slovenia and Hungary continue to maintain strong cooperation in the field of home affairs

SLOVENIA, January 29 - "I am pleased that my ministerial colleague and I confirmed that cooperation between our two countries in the field of home affairs remains very strong," Minister Zlobko said after the meeting. The ministers discussed a range of topical home affairs issues, including migration, the Schengen area and cooperation with the Western Balkans. "These are issues that require a coordinated and swift response, and above all a joint one," Minister Zlobko said.

It is encouraging that the number of irregular border crossings along the entire Western Balkan route in 2025 was around 60% lower than in the previous year. "This demonstrates the effectiveness of a comprehensive and coordinated approach to strengthening border management. Key contributing factors include the alignment of the visa policies of Western Balkan countries with the EU, action against migrant smuggling networks, enhanced cooperation on readmission and return, and the provision of swift and efficient asylum procedures." In 2025, the Slovenian police recorded just over 28,000 irregular border crossings, a decrease of 39% compared with 2024, when more than 46,000 irregular entries were detected.

"With regard to irregular entries from Hungary, I proposed several measures to further strengthen cooperation in this area," Minister Zlobko said. Slovenia suggested that the Hungarian police intensify border surveillance along their shared border, particularly in areas most affected by irregular crossings into Slovenia. It also supports increasing both the number and effectiveness of mixed patrols. To enhance the regular exchange of information, Minister Zlobko additionally proposed daily reporting on migrants apprehended along the Hungarian–Slovenian border. The two ministers agreed that the chiefs of police of both countries would meet to follow up on the proposed measures to strengthen cooperation.

The ministers also addressed controls at the internal border between the two countries. "I assured the minister that the Slovenian police closely monitor the situation at all our borders and in neighbouring countries. As has been the case so far, we will continue to ensure that the impact of border controls on the daily lives of people living in border areas is kept to an absolute minimum," Minister Zlobko said. Slovenia will lift internal border controls as soon as the conditions for doing so are met.

The Western Balkans were another key topic of discussion. The ministers agreed that challenges related to border management and migration must continue to be addressed in close cooperation with partners in the region in order to identify effective and feasible solutions. According to Minister Zlobko, a strong example of joint efforts to address growing security risks in the region is provided by ministerial meetings and meetings of chiefs of police held within the framework of the Brdo Process, which aim to strengthen cooperation, information exchange and police cooperation across the Western Balkans.

The ministers also discussed the situation on motorways resulting from blockades by road hauliers in the Western Balkans, linked to dissatisfaction with the introduction of the new Entry/Exit System at the EU’s external borders. Slovenia remains in constant contact with the Hungarian police, as well as with police authorities in other countries in the region. The shared objective is to prevent congestion and ensure the smooth flow of freight traffic through the countries concerned. As Minister Zlobko noted, the current situation for heavy goods vehicles in Slovenia is stable and without major disruption. The Slovenian police, which are also in contact with representatives of the freight transport section, continue to monitor developments closely and stand ready to take appropriate measures to prevent queues of heavy goods vehicles forming on Slovenian motorways that could lead to traffic congestion. The Slovenian and Hungarian ministers agreed that the police authorities of both countries would prepare proposals to further strengthen cooperation in this area.