Illegally to other countries

We all need to know that we can only cross the border between countries with valid passports, unless otherwise agreed, such as free passage between countries, for example within the European Union for European citizens. When illegal migrants appear, who then remain in the country, we often wonder about the second-class status of our own citizens. The rules for crossing the border between countries are supposed to apply to everyone, both foreigners and our own citizens. Especially if they mention the criminality of crossing the border past the border crossing and without valid papers.

In the past year 2024, according to the Police Information Administration, Police Opinion Sector, 46,192 unauthorized entries into Slovenia were processed in Slovenia alone, despite the fact that the so-called Schengen border has moved south to Croatia, which means entry into the EU and also into Slovenia for other citizens on the southern border of Croatia. Of course, the most common offenders or illegal migrants are even from countries on other continents, which also means poor control of their statements or their data. In 2023, 60,595 residents of other countries, usually also continents, illegally entered the country. Considering the reduced number in 2024 to 46,192, we could say, especially considering the costs of illegal migrants (accommodation, healthcare, social income, ..) that the number has decreased and thus our costs as well.

The majority of illegal migrants, 44,383 in 2024, also express their intention to seek international protection after illegally crossing the border. The law allows this, since illegal entry into the country is not a criminal offense that would be automatically punished with deportation or expulsion from the country and even the EU.

The largest number of illegal migrants in Slovenia in 2024 came from Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey, and the largest number of them crossed the Slovenian-Croatian border illegally, namely 44,603. In 2024, 14,984 residents of Syria, 7,230 residents of Afghanistan, 3,924 residents of Turkey, 3,664 residents of Morocco, 2,314 residents of Bangladesh, 1,861 residents of Pakistan, 1,705 residents of Egypt, 1,521 residents of India, 1,127 residents of Nepal, 680 residents of Iraq and 5,393 residents of other countries not listed applied for international protection after illegally entering Slovenia.

Slovenia is not only plagued by problems with illegal entry into the country, but the police often also find foreign citizens who are simply already residing in Slovenia illegally. There were as many as 2,073 such illegal residences in Slovenia in 2023. In 2024, this number dropped to 1,870. Most often, such unauthorized residence in Slovenia is still afforded by fellow citizens of the former Yugoslavia, which ceased to exist for Slovenians in 1991. Of these former Yugoslav republics, 385 citizens of present-day Macedonia, 205 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 202 citizens of Serbia and 177 from Kosovo were registered in 2024. Otherwise, citizens of Albania (2024:333), Moldova (2024:216), Turkey (2024:63), India (2024:49), the Philippines (2024:27) and Colombia (2024:22) also often reside illegally in Slovenia. In 2024, 191 citizens of countries not listed individually also resided in Slovenia illegally.