"This government has not and will not abide intolerance, hatemongering or hostility. We believe in tolerance, inclusion and all the core values of our culture. I'm disappointed at the recent spread of hatred against refugees and migrants in this country. I again implore all citizens not to fall for this. I understand that people might be scared because of the things they hear, but the picture presented is often incomplete. We remain in control of the migrant flow, and we know what we're doing. Most importantly, the safety of our people remains our number one priority," said Cerar after Thursday's government session.

He also denied that the government failed to adequately communicate its decisions to the public. "It's not true. We do talk to the local communities. Before adopting any measures, government representatives talk to local representatives. We are aware that we must dispel unnecessary fears. However, we do expect those local representatives to talk to people about these issues," stressed Cerar.

Ready for anything
In response to the question whether Slovenia is ready to reroute the flow of migrants, Cerar said that the government is ready to do that if the need arises. However, he added that a number of scenarios are possible: "Those that are part of irregular migrations must know that they can't be easily integrated into European society. Also, we must send traffickers a clear message," warned Cerar. He added that the fence along the border with Croatia has helped manage the flow of migrants.

A. Č., translated by D. V.