On 21 May 2025, the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia published a clarifying note on international protection - specifically on the application of the Dublin III Regulation.
The note emphasizes that transfers of applicants for international protection are carried out in accordance with applicable legislation and according to a precisely defined procedure. It furthermore emphasizes that "the concept of international protection, as defined in legal acts at EU level, guarantees the applicant the right to protection in a safe country, but not the possibility to choose the Member State which should examine his/her application and in which he/she wishes to avail himself/herself of this protection".
It reports that Slovenia has handed over 17 applicants for international protection to other countries under the Dublin procedure this year (January-April 2025), 68 in 2024 and 13 in 2023. The note clarifies that such transfers are not deportations, but legal transfers to another EU Member State, which will process their application for international protection.
The note further dispels claims stating that Slovenia does not accept asylum applications, reporting that 5,634 applications were lodged in Slovenia in 2024 and 1,207 (January to April 2025). It notes that in 2024, international protection status was granted to 184 people, and this year (January-April 2025) to 30 people.
The note furthermore confirms the factual trend by applicants of arbitrarily leaving Slovenia by applicants for international protection continues in 2025, with as many as 80 percent of them leaving the country for an average of 34 days. It notes that in these cases, the procedure is stopped.