On 12 May 2016 the first group of persons seeking international protection arrived from Greece to Slovenia under the EU relocation agreement. In total 28 people (5 families with 14 children and 4 single men) coming from Iraq and Syria arrived at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport. The group was welcomed at the airport by representatives of IOM Slovenia and was further on taken by the Ministry of the Interior to the asylum centre in Ljubljana where their applications for international protection were submitted.

In the pre-departure phase IOM Greece and IOM Italy conduct health assessments to ensure that beneficiaries travel in safety. Furthermore, the missions organize one day pre-departure and cultural orientation sessions, providing information in a language the beneficiaries understand, on their rights and obligations, on what to expect when they arrive, as well as pre-embarkation information. IOM also carries out a pre-embarkation fitness for travel check a few hours before departure and provides assistance during boarding. IOM representatives accompany individuals or groups of beneficiaries through their transit points and/or final destinations.

In total 567 persons will be relocated to Slovenia from Italy and Greece in 2016 and 2017, while 20 persons will be permanently resettled from Third Countries.

For more information, contact IOM Slovenia, Tel.: +386 14347351, Email iomljubljana@iom.int.