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Slovenian PM: building border fence immediately if necessary

Xinhua, October 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Slovenia could start building a fence on its border immediately if necessary, but is still hopeful that EU measures will stem the flow of refugees, Prime Minister Miro Cerar said on Wednesday after a special session of the National Security Council.

According to the report by Slovenian Press Agency (STA), the National Security Council session was called to debate Slovenia's response to the refugee crisis, including the possibility for stepping up measures to protect the border should the flow of refugees continue unabated.

The STA report quoted Cerar as saying that Slovenia was waiting to see if the commitments adopted at the EU-Balkans summit in Brussels on Sunday will be implemented by all affected parties first.

"But if the commitments are not respected, this will be proof that EU policy is not working and will prompt Slovenia to step up measures on the border," said the prime minister.

As part of a broad EU solution, Slovenia has called for bolstered border security on the EU's external borders in an effort to stem the flow of refugees across the border between Greece and Turkey.

The prime minister said that while being ready to upgrade its border security at any moment, Slovenia was still reserved about building a fence "because we're against a Europe of walls". However, the government is also ready to "protect its citizens, law and order" should the EU approach fail.

Slovenian officials have explained in recent days that border barriers being considered would serve to focus the flow of refugees to designated entry points and that Slovenia would not employ a Hungary-style wall to completely seal off the border. Endit