Schengen not finished, but has a "problem": Croatia's PM

This photo shows the free passage of vehicles at the Bregana border crossing between Croatia and Slovenia, Jan. 1, 2023. (Luka Stanzl/PIXSELL via Xinhua)

"Schengen is not finished, but it has a problem," Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said.

ZAGREB, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday that the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the Slovenian-Croatian border should be an exception, acknowledging that the Schengen area has a problem.

"Schengen is not finished, but it has a problem. The introduction of border controls is not a novelty, it comes about due to migration trends and assessments of increased security threats due to terrorism," Plenkovic said at a press conference.

However, the temporary reintroduction of border controls should be an exception, "a last measure" that should be subject to strict conditions, especially in terms of scope and duration, Plenkovic noted.

Vehicle wait in queues in Obrezje, one of the main border crossings connecting capitals of Slovenia and Croatia, in Slovenia, on April 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Matic Stojs)

On Thursday, Slovenia said it will re-introduce controls at its border with Croatia on Oct. 21 for the next ten days.

Croatia joined the European Union's Schengen border-free area on Jan. 1, 2023.