Slovenia will extend police checks at the border with Croatia and Hungary by another 20 days, until 19 November, the government has decided. The checks will focus on preventing terrorism, extremism and cross-border crime, it said.

Slovenia reinstated border checks on 21 October, the same day that Italy introduced checks at the Slovenian border, citing heightened security risks due to organised crime gangs and the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.

The government listed the same reasons now saying the checks had been introduced to protect internal security and due to terrorist threats.

The checks performed by Slovenian police officers are not systematic, instead the police focus on potentially suspect vehicles and passengers.

Once the new extension ends, police checks are likely to be additionally extended by a month, the Interior Ministry has said.

Border checks will be the main topic of talks at a meeting of the interior ministers of Croatia, Italy and Slovenia scheduled to take place in Trieste on 2 November.

They will also top the agenda as Prime Minister Robert Golob visits his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in mid-November.