Croatia has sent a written response to the European Commission (EC) in reply to Slovenia's complaint regarding Croatia's decision not to recognise the June 2017 border arbitration ruling, Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic-Buric said on Tuesday evening.
Slovenia, which recognises the ruling, had filed a complaint to the EC interpreting Croatia’s decision to be a breach of EU law. The final date for Croatia to send in its reply was April 17.
“We have had until today to send our response, and we have done so. I think we have presented valid arguments in response to their letter,” Pejcinovic-Buric said.
Croatian government had agreed its reply to the Slovenian complaint at its session on Tuesday.
In the interview for state broadcaster HRT, Pejcinovic-Buric said she could not discuss details of Croatian’s response because it is still a confidential document.
“We have provided valid arguments for each point (in the Slovenian letter), and the conclusion is that Croatia is not in breach of EU law,” Pejcinovic-Buric added.
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Slovenia had started the procedure with the EC in line with Article 259 of the Lisbon Treaty, which formally launched a three-month process during which both EU member states involved in the dispute must send in written statements and hold an oral discussion at the EC in Brussels.
The EC suggested May 2 as the date for the discussion. Such meetings are usually attended by experts sent by disputing countries, and Croatia has not yet decided who will go to this hearing in Brussels.
The process may result in the EC stating its opinion on the matter. But regardless whether the EC decides to give its opinion, Slovenia can sue Croatia at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) after the three months are up.
Asked if Croatia was under pressure from Brussels to comply with the arbitration ruling, the minister said that the Commission “understands very well that this is a bilateral issue, and they have invited us, Croatia and Slovenia, for bilateral talks as two EU members.”
“We still think that is the right way to go,” she said. “In other words, there is no pressure. Of course, the EU, the European institutions, would like the two countries to solve this issue, but there is no pressure because there are other countries in Europe that have unresolved bilateral issues, and they live with them normally, dealing with them over time,” Pejcinovic-Buric said.
