No Unblocking Croatia, Slovenia Wants Concessions

Although Croatia has adopted the proposal of European Union expansion commissioner Olli Rehn on resolving the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia, an agreement cannot be reached without Slovenia, which has still not submitted its official response to the European Commission. Slovene Foreign Affairs Minster Samuel Zbogar said that Rehn needs to accept Slovene remarks.

– An agreement cannot be made without Slovenia and the bloc of Croatian EU accession talks cannot be lifted. Rehn`s latest proposal was based on proposals of both countries, however, it is not final and Slovenia will present its amendments – Zbogar told the Slovene POP-TV.

The minister warned that Rehn`s initiative might fail and in this case, new solutions with a new presiding country of the EU would be sought.

He denied claims that Rehn`s proposal was final and that it is not subject to remarks.

– If alterations demanded by Slovenia are not accepted, the arbitrage deal will not be reached. If the agreement fails, there is no way that Slovenia will be forced to unblock Croatian accession talks – Zbogar explained, adding that a new solution would be sought in this case.

President of the Croatian National Board for monitoring talks with the European Union Vesna Pusic was also a guest of the POP-TV show.

She said that Slovene remarks were included in Rehn`s proposal and that it cannot be largely altered, which Zbogar denied.

Former Slovene PM Janez Jansa, the president of Slovenia`s most powerful oppositional party, the Slovene Democratic Party, said that Rehn`s current proposal was bad for Slovenia and closer to Croatia. According to Jansa, the principle of fairness should be included while determining the border (ex aequo et bono).

As he explained, Croatia will not be accepted in the EU during this deadline, while the Slovene Parliament might turn down the ratification of Croatia`s accession agreement, if the border solution was unfavourable for Slovenia.

Slovene President Danilo Tuerk supported PM Borut Pahor, saying that Slovenia should be optimistic while discussing Rehn`s proposal; it needs the confidence, not pessimism and politically motivated arguments of parties.