Slovenia Expresses Support for Croatia’s Accession to the Schengen Zone
The government of Slovenia has expressed its support regarding Croatia’s joining the European Union’s Schengen Zone.
Through a statement published by the Republic of Slovenia, the latter has stressed that the joining of Croatia to the borderless area of Schengen is in “our common European interest”, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“For Slovenia, the arbitration award is final and is legally confirmed in Slovenia by the Recording the National Border with the Republic of Croatia Act of December 2017. Slovenian politics has a primary duty to safeguard national interests; therefore, final decisions will be taken in the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia,” the statement reads.
Recently, the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic, stressed that Croatia expects to become part of the Schengen Zone.
Croatia’s PM stressed that the country expects to become part of the Schengen Zone on January 1, 2023, while stressing that the country has met all the requirements to become part of Schengen while stressing that the country is ready to provide further clarification on this to all those who want it in order for the country to become an official member of Schengen on January 1, 2023.
Plenkovic said that the committee of the European Parliament is also expected to give the green light in the coming weeks after assessing the country’s readiness for criteria such as protecting the country’s border as well as managing the migration situation while adding that a final decision in this regard rests with the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council.
The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, also expressed his support regarding the accession of Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Zone.
Scholz emphasized the fact that these three Balkan countries have met all the requirements in order to become part of the Schengen Zone.
The German Chancellor’s comments came following his visit to the Czech Republic’s capital while stressing that the EU’s borderless area is among the biggest achievements of the EU; thus, it must be protected and further developed.
“Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria fulfill all the technical requirements for full membership. I will work to see them become full members,” the statement of Scholz read.
However, not all have backed Croatia’s joining the Schengen Zone. Back in August, Human Rights Watch (HRW) opposed the accession of Croatia to the Schengen due to Croatia’s treatment of migrants.
Buth authorities in Croatia have rejected the pretensions of Human Rights Watch.
