STA, 23 April 2019 - A total of 111 foreigners were apprehended illegally crossing the Slovenian-Croatian border the past weekend, according to reports from the Novo Mesto, Celje and Koper police departments. Slovenian police have already handed over 30 of them to Croatia, while 12 have asked for asylum in Slovenia.
Since Friday, the Novo Mesto police has apprehended 67 foreigners, of whom 25 were Moroccans, 20 Algerians, 11 came from Bangladesh, four were Turks, three Libyans and one each came from Palestine, Cuba, Nigeria and Iran.
They are all yet to be processed by police.
In Novo Mesto, a man was caught illegally transporting four Egyptians in his car with Slovenian register plates yesterday. The 37-year-old driver, who is a resident of the UK, was detained.
The Egyptian citizens have already been handed over to Croatia.
The Koper police registered 37 illegal migrants between Friday and this morning. So far, 23 of them have been returned to Croatia and one is to be returned today. A dozen people have requested international protection.
The foreigners came from Turkey (19), Syria (6), Iraq (4), Kosovo (2), Bangladesh (2), and one each from Iran, India, Albania and Libya.
In Bistrica ob Sotli, three citizens of Kosovo were apprehended on Saturday and returned to Croatia.
The number of illegal crossings of the border in the first three months of this year rose by almost 150% compared to the same period last year, to 1,639.
Most foreigners came from Algeria, Morocco and Pakistan.
The most illegal crossings of the border were recorded by the Novo Mesto police department. The Ljubljana police department follows closely with its share rising. Koper comes in third.
Between January and March, a total of 699 foreigners have indicated they would ask for international protection. Most of them were Algerians.
In the same period last year, 559 migrants applied for asylum.
According to police, this year the number of illegal crossings of the border is rising faster than last year.
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