Schengen Area

Brussels – Coming out of a meeting of EU home affairs ministers, Slovenia’s Aleš Hojs said it had been agreed that Croatia meets the conditions for entering the Schengen Area, and that it was a key step towards a final decision on the expansion of the no-passport zone. Hojs believes other steps will follow relatively soon.

Brussels – Interior Minister Aleš Hojs expressed the hope that progress could still be made by the end of 2021 on changes to the European Asylum Dactyloscopy Database (EURODAC), a part of the new Migration Pact. He noted that there would not be a major breakthrough regarding the pact during the Slovenian EU presidency and it had not been expected either.

Otočec – A memorial in honour of the period when Slovenia and Croatia were gaining independence was unveiled at Otočec on Monday with both countries’ prime ministers Janez Janša and Andrej Plenković in attendance, along with the first Slovenian Prime Minister Lojze Peterle and his then-counterpart Franjo Gregurić.

A stronger common European policy, the creation of a European army and common European embassies are among the ideas proposed by European citizens participating in the last meeting of the first Citizens' Council of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

In particular, the notam for flights from abroad that will be valid until 22/10/21 provides the following:

Twelve EU member states asked the European Commission to strengthen measures against irregular migration and financially support physical barriers at the bloc's external borders.

Europeans must honor their commitments to Turkey as part of a migration deal signed in 2016, the Greek minister for migration and asylum said on Oct. 4. 

Notis Mitarachi said the EU-Turkey migration deal must be implemented by both sides to manage the refugee flows and stem illegal trafficking in the Aegean Sea.

President Klaus Iohannis asked on Tuesday Romanian diplomats to continue their efforts to achieve the objectives at the European level, such as Romania's accession to the Schengen area. "On all major 'European files,' Romanian diplomacy must increase its capacity to anticipate trends, to identify strategic elements that support the promotion of national interests.

Overall, the European vicinities from the Black Sea to the Western Balkans, and not only, must be treated as a priority in achieving our foreign policy objectives, Prime Minister Florin Citu stated in the opening of the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy (RADR). "I cannot forget to mention the importance of the progress made in strengthening resilience among EU's Eastern partners.

After dinner with Rama and Zaev, Vui told the citizens of Serbia that the Open Balkans cannot be stopped because no one can find fault with it.
"These 17 squares in which we are now present the territory of Serbia. We are talking about the Open Balkans, about many initiatives, about how our citizens can live better," said Vucic.