The organisation is worried in particular about the possibility of border police turning down asylum applicants en masse without individual processing under a special system that could be put in place for a limited period of time.

The proposed amendments "could violate the right of children to seek international protection through fair and efficient individual procedures, the fundamental principles of non-refoulement, of non-discrimination and best interests of the child".

"While border police play a role, appropriate expertise to conduct complex determination of the best interests of the child, assess risk to individuals and to identify unaccompanied and separated children, lies outside their mandate."

UNICEF thus asks the government and parliament to carefully examine the proposed amendments and reject any provisions that would "place Slovenia in opposition to its principled and historic position" in safeguarding children's rights.

The public letter was sent by UNICEF deputy regional director David Mcloughlin to Speaker Milan Brglez and Prime Minister Miro Cerar.