Eurasia Press & News
The Croatian-Slovenian border dispute must be resolved bilaterally by the countries concerned, according to the future president of the European Union, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.
“This is a bilateral dispute and a solution lies with those countries,” Bildt said in Brussels. “It is time for them to reflect and we will see if this reflection will produce results,” he added.
Carl Bildt was presenting priorities for the upcoming Swedish presidency of the EU that will come into effect on July 1. Croatia aims to conclude EU accession negotiations during the Swedish presidency. The process has hit an impasse due to a border dispute with Slovenia.
Last Thursday, Slovenia and Croatia failed to resolve differences on the border issue. The European Commission said it regrets that Croatia and Slovenia have failed to make progress in talks.
Bildt confirmed that the EU would continue to treat this problem as a local issue between Croatia and Slovenia. “This has to be sorted out by the countries themselves,” Bildt said. “It will have different implications for both countries,” he warned.
