Slovenia has recently welcomed 27 citizens of Afghanistan, marking the second group of resettled refugees from Turkey. This initiative is part of the country’s permanent resettlement project, with the majority of the group consisting of family members. The first group, which arrived on December 14, 2023, included 23 Syrian citizens who were also accepted into Slovenia as part of the permanent resettlement initiative.
The refugees will be accommodated in the facilities of the Government Office for the Care and Integration of Migrants, and Slovenia will receive financial resources from the European Fund for Asylum, Migration, and Integration for each resettled person.
The decision to accept these refugees was made by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in 2022. In total, the country has accepted 50 citizens from Syria or Afghanistan, with a focus on priority categories such as families, single mothers, single women, and up to five unaccompanied minors. This includes victims of the earthquake that occurred in Turkey last year.
In collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Slovenian authorities have examined documentation, conducted interviews, and carried out security checks in Turkey. The representatives of the Ministry, the police, and the Government Office for the Care and Integration of Migrants worked towards ensuring that the selected individuals met all the criteria for recognition of refugee status in Slovenia.
Slovenia has a history of participating in permanent resettlement initiatives and has also pledged to relocate asylum seekers from Italy and Greece with IOM’s assistance. On the European Union (EU) front, Slovenia has consistently advocated for the European Commission’s initiatives related to permanent resettlement and transfers. Permanent resettlement measures represent a key aspect of EU migration policy, offering legal avenues for individuals in need of protection to enter the EU and reducing the possibilities of human smuggling and trafficking.
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