Slovenian govt backs ban on paramilitary groups after militia patrol border

The Slovenian government approved legislation on Tuesday that will prohibit paramilitary groups, after a team led by a nationalist politician began conducting border patrols in the woods in recent months.

“Guarding the state border is an exclusive responsibility of the police,” the government said in a statement, adding paramilitary groups were obstructing the work of the police and causing alarm and fear.

Two weeks ago, a group of more than 50 people, dressed in camouflage uniforms and armed with air rifles, were patrolling a border zone between Slovenia and Croatia where they say illegal migration is rife, Reuters reported. Andrej Sisko, who heads a fringe nationalist party, Gibanje Zedinjena Slovenija, said authorities had failed to protect Slovenia against what he saw as a migrant threat.

Under the legislation approved by the cabinet and now due to be passed by parliament in coming months, civilians will be banned from conducting patrols of the border area.