Brussels, 10/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) declared on 7 January that it was very concerned by a number of provisions in a new Slovenian law on international protection. The legislation entered into force on 4 January in Slovenia, and includes increased use of accelerated asylum procedures, although these are only expected to apply in exceptional circumstances. The UNHCR also notes that in the final phase of the asylum procedure, appeals are no longer suspensive and therefore allow for premature expulsions of asylum seekers to countries where their lives or freedom are threatened. The law will also facilitate the use of detention of asylum seekers, with no exemption for families with children. Lloyd Dackin, the UNHCR representative to Slovenia said: “We now have a new law that is transposing EU asylum directives and reducing legal standards below international levels and which restricts the prospects of asylum seekers to find protection in Slovenia”. The organisation warned that transposition of European directives could lead to a fall in standards applied until now in member states. Dackin affirmed that “This is exactly what has happened in Slovenia just as it assumes the EU presidency”. It should be pointed out, however, that one of the positive points in the new law is the introduction of the possibility of resettling refugees in other countries, action that UNHCR is trying to encourage between member states. Slovenia is the country of the EU that has one of lowest rates for recognising refugee status. Only one asylum seeker was recognised as a refugee in 2006 and two in 2007, according to UNHCR. (B.C)