Slovenia

The situation when it comes to refugee route through Slovenia:

State authorities established two types of centers, registration centers on the border with Croatia and accommodation centers on the border with Austria. Registration centers are Dolga vas, Petišovci, Središče ob Dravi, Gruškovje and Obrežje. Accommodation centers are Šentilj and Gornja Radgona. Registration centers are under the police authority, accommodation under Civil Protection.

Refugees travel by trains from Croatian Serbian border until Čakovec in Croatia. There they are divided in smaller groups and continue their journey either by buses to Dolga vas, Petišovci, Gruškovje and Obrežje either by train to Središče ob Dravi (the biggest group of around 1200 people). Registration takes place in big tents. Around one person in two minutes. Police takes photo and fingerprints. Although in Petišovci yesterday they did not take fingerprints due to problems with machine. Upon this they issue permit to stay for six months. This is permit issued to person that is in process of deportation but can not be deported for various reasons. In short time they are taken by buses to accommodation centers where they can have rest and are agin quite quickly escorted by foot to Austrian side of the border, where Austrian police receives them and submit them to another registration procedure. Austrian police than transports refugees to Graz and Vienna. It seem that cooperation between Austrian and Slovenia police is strengthened. In registration centers there is presence of Austrian police officers.

There are first controversies when it comes to handling of refugees by Slovene authorities. Namely state officials are claiming that Slovenia can receive 2500 people per day and that this depends on Austrian reception of refugees. Austrians supposed to take only 1500 per day. While Croatian authorities are demanding that Slovenia open borders for 5000 refugees per day. This afternoon for this reason Slovenia presumably rejected one train of refugees from Croatia. It is not clear yet either this are just PR maneuvers for slovene public. Namely, yesterday Slovenian authorities have let in more than 3000 people. We will now in couple of days what is exactly going on. When it comes to the regime in refugee centers it is quite difficult for independent volunteers to get involved. But it really depends on persons in charge. In Petišovci activists managed to build a huge tent next to police one, while in Središče ob Dravi no one was allowed to enter not even activists of Amnesty International. The impression is however that Red cross and Civil protection really lack personal and it might be that they will be forced to soften their attitude toward independent volunteers.

It seems that refugees miss the most informations. There is no wi fi in centers, no chargers for phones, no electricity cables. Translators hired by police are there only to interpret during registration procedures that takes two minutes per person. Permit to stay is only in Slovene and people do not know what this paper is about.