February 26 (SeeNews) - Slovenia's police has urged its Croatian peers to limit the flow of migrants to up to 580 a day in line with an agreement between police chiefs in Southeast Europe (SEE) reached last week, a spokesperson for the Slovenian police told SeeNews on Friday.
Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria committed themselves to restrict the flow of migrants through the Western Balkan countries in a joint declaration inked on February 18 in Zagreb, a spokesperson for Slovenia's police said in an emailed response to a SeeNews inquiry.
The figure was set at 580 migrants per day to allow effective checks of every migrant in accordance with the Schengen rules, the spokesperson noted.
However, on Thursday, Croatia broke the agreement, passing on a total of 850 migrants, which considerably exceeds the number agreed on, the Slovenian police said.
Local media reported last week that Austria's interior ministry has introduced daily limits for refugees entering the country regardless of the European Commission's request to suspend the decision.
Interior minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner was quoted as saying that Austrian borders will open for migrants from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm and that a maximum of 80 asylum applications are expected per day.
Media also said at the time that seekers of refugee status would be able to transit Austria but in limited numbers of 3,200 per day, or 200 per hour. Those who arrive outside working hours will have to wait on the Slovenian side.