Slonnect.com Slovenian News Portal
Croatia is reportedly prepared to listen to Brussels and recognize a large part of the border arbitration award, but in the framework of a bilateral agreement. Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec stresses that Croatia must accept the entire ruling.
According to Croatia’s RTL, Radio Slovenija reports that Croatia has changed its position after Monday’s meeting between European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Slovenian President Borut Pahor. Juncker said the arbitration award was a fact and that it should be fulfilled to the greatest extent possible. On Monday he also added that the differences between the two sides were not that big.
Sources from Brussels mention that Juncker might invite the PMs of Slovenia and Croatia to a meeting on the implementation of the arbitration award. According to Croatian fishermen, Croatia could advocate changes to part of the border agreement which define that only up to 25 Croatian fishermen per day are to be allowed to fish in Slovenian waters. The agreement envisages the same number for Slovenian fishermen in Croatian waters.
Slovenia for dialogue, but dialogue on the full implementation
Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec stressed that Croatia must accept the entire arbitration award. A partial acceptance of the ruling is not acceptable. He reminded that the Slovenian ambassador in Zagreb said that Croatia would like to implement only that part of the ruling which suits its interests, and hold dialogue for the remaining part.
