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NewsRefugee crisis, Slovenia, Border Security

Slovenia to Hire Private Security Firms to Assist Police and Armies in Managing Migrants

Oct 29, 2015 01:49 AM EDT

Following the escalating migrant crisis, Slovenia plans to employ private security firms to help police managing migrants flooding in their country. Currently thousands of migrants have entered Europe and hoped to reach Germany, Austria and Northern Europe through Hungary, and Balkan countries. 

According to Boštjan Šefic, Slovenia state secretary at the interior ministry, as quoted by The Guardian, 50-60 private security guards would assist the police where necessary in order to handle the numbers of migrants. Since for in the last 10 days, more than 76,000 migrants have arrived in Slovenia from Croatia and Serbia. 

Slovenian Prime Minister, Miro Cerar, called this crisis as the biggest challenge in the history of European Union. An emergency measured is needed involving all members of European Union to handle the crisis, because according to prime minister, "If a joint solution is not found, it will start breaking up," he told a news conference as Reuters reported. 

The unending civil war in Syria has forced millions of people to leave their countries. They fled to escape war and became refugees in the neighboring countries. Nevertheless, in the crowded refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, they are still under threat from militants operating in the surrounding area. 

Amidst the uncertain condition, thousands of refugees chose to make a journey to Europe. They hoped to get asylum in Europe by crossing Mediterranean Sea and enter Italy and Greece. The destination are countries like Germany, Austria and France that provided asylum for refugees. However, many European countries shut their borders as migrant issues became acute problem. So far, Hungary has closed its border with Serbia and Croatia to prevent migrants from using their country as passage to Northern Europe. Consequently, flocks of migrants outpoured into Slovenia's border and forced Slovenian government to deploy soldiers to support police at the border. 

Up to now, a large number of migrants is still entering Greece. According to UNHCR as quoted by USA Today, migrants' sea arrivals this year to Greece passed the 500,000 mark. This created a humanitarian crisis which enforced members of European Union to act together as Slovenian prime minister have stated.

In order to anticipate more migrants coming to their border, Slovenia considered to have more security forces to strengthen their armies and police. Therefore, Slovenian government prepared a plan to hire private security firm to help police in securing the border.