According to Karl Erjavec the government reviewed many legal aspects on how to solve the case of Ahmad Shamieh. The government also looked at the possibility of establishing the case to be in the interest of the state, in order for Shamieh to remain the in country and be granted a temporary residence permit, in line with Article 51 of the Aliens Act.
The article determines exceptions for individuals successful in the fields of science, culture and sport. However, in this specific case, the government found no such elements, said minister Karl Erjavec. In the past days PM Miro Cerar had announced that the government would be examining such an option.
Cerar without a majority
The head of the SD Social Democrats Dejan Židan explained that several options were presented at the cabinet meeting. According to Židan, PM Cerar probably realized that he lacked majority on the issue, and therefore withdrew the item from the agenda.
Židan announced that he alone would continue to advocate the expression of humanity in Slovenia through action, not only words. However, he declined to clarify his position on the issue. He further said that he welcomed every solution preserving human dignity, adding that "Slovenia in practice, if it wants to, can achieve it". Židan did agree though that any solution on the issue had to be in line with the law.
Government debate over
The government secretary general, Lilijana Kozlovič, explained that the government did not reach a consensus on Slovenia's interests in issuing a temporary residence permit to Ahmad Shamieh. With that, the government ended the debate on the matter.
Kozlovič said the process of Shamieh's deportation was never stopped, and that the government had six months to carry out the deportation.
Kozlovič also confirmed that Cerar never called for the deportation process to be stopped, or for the relevant state institutions to adopt different decisions. According to Kozlovič, Shamieh was called to the asylum centre on Tuesday to be informed about the procedure he was in.

She added that deportations were carried out in agreement with the institutions of both countries, in this case Slovenia and Croatia.

The matter is now in the hands of the administrative authorities. "If a new application is filed, the authorities will once again take a decision on the matter. If there is no new application, the whole procedure, which was never stopped, will be concluded," repeated Kozlovič.
Bad influence on the police
The Slovenian Police Officer Association was critical in its reaction to the events surrounding the case of Ahmad Shamieh. In a press release it wrote that it was "saddened that political decisions influence the independent work of the police and negatively influence the rule of law."
The Left would move to oust the minister
In the case that Syrian refugee Ahmad Shamieh is indeed deported, the Left deputy group will propose a motion to oust Interior Minister Vesna Györkös Žnidar. The Left also commented the latest cabinet meeting, saying that PM Miro Cerar "succumbed to the pressure of the right and changed his decision".
If the Left files the ousting motion, it expects to be backed by the SD party and all those MPs who publicly stood for Shamieh's rights. Ten MP signatures are needed to file a motion to oust a minister. The Left has five MPs.

According to the Left, Györkös Žnidar is "guilty that we have found ourselves in this situation". In reaction to the latest cabinet meeting, the minister was also pointed out as being "in favour of the deportation".