STA, March 9, 2018 – The government discussed on Thursday preparations to sign an agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) which will enable Slovenia to accept a group of 70 refugees who are currently in Turkey.
The accord is to be signed by the Interior Ministry, enabling Slovenia to accept the first refugees as part of an EU resettlement scheme, which covers refugees currently residing outside the EU.
The ministry is already in talks for 60 Syrian citizens who meet the criteria to be granted refugee status to permanently move to Slovenia, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said after the government session.
Based on an agreement with the European Commission, the UN's migration agency provides logistical support to EU members involved in the resettlement scheme.
It was chosen to act as an exclusive intermediary because Turkey would not want to communicate with individual EU countries and would not allow them to visit its refugee camps, according to UKOM.
The agreement will set down the scope of support the IOM will provide to Slovenia to carry out the resettlement programme.
The project is paid for by the EU's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, so it presents no additional costs for Slovenia, UKOM said.
Last month, the government said that the accord would be signed early this year. It also said that 60 refugees were expected to be resettled this year.
Meanwhile, Slovenia has already accepted around 570 refugees as part of the EU's relocation scheme, which applies to refugees who are temporarily accommodated in other EU countries.
