18 October 2015•Update: 27 October 2015
ANKARA
Slovenia has refused to accept another train with refugees from Croatia on Sunday, after receiving a total of up to 2,250 refugees, the Slovenian Interior Ministry said.
“Today, Slovenia received a train carrying some 1,800 people, and expects another 300 to 350 in the afternoon at the Obrezje border crossing, so it has not agreed to accept a new train from Croatia with another 1,800 people,” the ministry said Sunday in a statement.
Minister Bostjan Sefic, quoted in the statement, indicated that the Slovenian government would limit the number of refugees it accepts to 2,500, citing capacity concerns.
Speaking about Saturday’s influx, Bostjan Sefic said: “Yesterday was a successful day, because all the goals that we had set were met, which means successfully receiving up to 2,500 refugees or migrants a day.”
He said that despite Croatia’s request for Slovenia to receive more people daily, Slovenia cannot afford increased numbers due to limited capacities.
The ministry statement added that the outflow of refugees and migrants depends on the restrictions on their arrival imposed by Austria.
According to the ministry, while a great majority of refugees and migrants -- who are mostly from Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq -- are heading to Austria, four people have applied for asylum in Slovenia.
Hungary closed its border with Croatia on Friday at midnight, forcing refugees in Croatia to take a new route toward Austria and Germany passing through Slovenia.
Hungary already closed its borders with Serbia on Sept. 14.
According to the International Organization for Migration, a total of 472,000 refugees have entered Greece in 2015 (up to Oct. 16). The refugees have crossed the sea from Turkey to Greece with the aim of reaching other EU countries, such as Austria, Germany, and France.
Before Hungarian measures to close the borders, a popular refugee route passed through Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and Austria.
