Vinko Gorenak (SDS Party) was not satisfied with such answer, and insisted that the cost for an applicant for asylum was much higher. At the regular session of the National Assembly Gorenak posed a parliamentary question about the costs Slovenia has had with the passage of refugees until this day, and about the monthly cost for an applicant for asylum.

According to Cerar the arrival of the refugees into our country until February 15 cost just over EUR 32 m, including the expenses for the employees of the state, the municipal bodies and the public institutes, the cost of reception and accommodation, the cost of volunteers, and the municipalities.

He said that until this date Slovenia has received EUR 10.2 m of aid from the EU. The Council of the Europe Development Bank has donated additional 1.5 m, and UNHCR EUR 3.6 m. Some donations under bilateral agreements have been received as well.
Gorenak accuses Cerar of misleading
According to Prime Minister every applicant for asylum costs the state EUR 385 per month; the sum includes care and monthly allowance of EUR 18.

Gorenak was not satisfied with this part of the answer. He accuses Cerar of misleading. The contingent plan for the procedure of accommodating applicants for asylum which was adopted by the government in Gorenak's opinion speaks of much higher costs.
"385 is the cost of basic care, i.e. food, accommodation, and allowance, i.e. pocket money. We should however add costs of salaries for employees, which are EUR 509 m per year. And if we add only the expense for security guards, i.e. EUR 220,000 per year, the yearly cost for one applicant for asylum reaches at least EUR 1,344," Gorenjak said.

Cerar disagrees with fixed costs
Cerar answered that Gorenak is forcing fixed costs into the cost for individual applicants for asylum, i.e. the expenses for employees of Asylum Centres, the operation of the Asylum Centres etc. Yet those expenses would be incurred anyway.

He said that until now the state has returned from Slovenia just over a dozen of applicants for asylum. In his opinion the safety in the Ljubljana Asylum Centre and in the Alien Centre in Postojna is adequately taken care of.

G. C., T. H., translated by G. K.