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Slovenia toughens asylum measures

March 5, 2016

Slovenia's parliament has passed a new bill that will toughen measures for migrants seeking to enter the country. The move is seen as an effort to halt the influx of asylum seekers.

https://p.dw.com/p/1I7gf
Slovenian Parliament
Image: picture-alliance/Pixsell/Z. Lukunic

Slovenian politicians voted on the legislation on Friday in an effort to prevent a bottleneck of refugees in their country.

"The aim of this bill is to enable fast and efficient asylum procedures for those that really need asylum," Interior Minister Vesna Gyorkos Znidar said before the vote.

More specifically, the legislation makes it easier for the government to reject asylum seekers from countries designated as "safe." It also reduces the amount of financial assistance for refugees and their families.

The new legislation won 45-4 in the 90-seat parliament. Some center-right politicians boycotted the vote, criticizing it for not incorporating even stricter rules, as well as a cap on the number of migrants.

Human rights group Amnesty International criticized the legislation, saying it deprives asylum seekers of their rights.

blc/bw (Reuters, AFP)

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