Although small in size and population, Slovenia is a gateway to Central Europe for millions of migrants. Slovenia borders the countries of Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Italy, making it an ideal stomping ground for millions of refugees traveling north. Slovenia is also a member of the European Union (EU), which is idyllic for migrants seeking freedom and access to the western world. These 10 facts about refugees in Slovenia show how dire the situation has become.

10 Facts About Refugees in Slovenia

1. The years 2015 and 2016 saw a sizable increase in refugees traveling through Slovenia to reach other countries in the European Union. The total number of immigrants who traveled to Slovenia in 2015 was 15,420. This was an 11 percent increase from the previous year.
2. Slovenia is a country with moderate poverty rates for the region. Overall, 13.9 percent of citizens live at or below the poverty line. As you move closer to the various border countries, this percentage increases. The shared border with Croatia has a 17.3 percent poverty rate, representing the thousands of refugees crossing over into Slovenia.
3. October of 2015 saw the largest peak in refugees entering the country, with 66,353 entering the country in that month alone.
4. As a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area, Slovenia is an ideal state for refugees. Individuals are able to move freely between countries in the Schengen Area.
5. Syria has consistently been the country represented most with refugees in Slovenia. Forty-five percent of refugees in Slovenia immigrated from Syria.
6. To date, twelve other countries have contributed police force officials to assist with the refugee crisis in Slovenia.
7. Medical care is offered at reception and accommodation centers across Slovenia. Refugees are offered preventative physical exams and urgent care. This is all included in the federal budget of Slovenia.
8. The European Commission provided Slovenia 10.17 million euros to help supply more officials on the border with Croatia and to improve reception centers for refugees.
9. Every day, there are more than 400 volunteers from nonprofits, humanitarian organizations and other assistance agencies who work at various refugee camps across Slovenia to provide food and care.
10. By simply stating that they are seeking asylum, refugees are immediately taken care of by government officials and a set of procedures is followed. This includes fingerprinting the individual to deduce whether or not they have requested asylum in a country before. This procedure is internationally known as the Dublin procedure.

A small Balkan country with various minorities, Slovenia is doing all they can to help traveling refugees. These facts about refugees in Slovenia show the lengths that the Slovenian government is going to in order to assist refugees seeking security and freedom. Although the number of migrants has declined with the closure of borders, the Slovenians are still willing to help those seeking a brighter future.

– Sophie Casimes

Photo: Flickr