After an oral discussion before the European Commission (EC) in Bruxelles on the Slovenia’s claim that Croatia was breaking European and international law, the Foreign Ministry senior official, Andreja Metelko-Zgombic, who participated in the hearing, spoke to the press.
“It was very successful. This was an opportunity to discuss all issues in front of the EC representatives, so they could get a better idea regarding the matter in question,” she said, adding that both countries answered the questions of the EC.
“The discussion showed that the arguments clash on the issue of international law and the border,” she said, and added that the border had remained the same as it was confirmed in 2005.
“If the practice of not fining the fishermen was acceptable since 2005 up until now, I don’t see why it would not continue,” Metelko-Zgombic said, and added that she did not think there would be any more hearings by the EC.
The Ministry has until June 18 to present its position.
“This procedure was initiated, wholly undeservedly, by Slovenia. Croatia had the right answers to the Slovenia’s complaint, and the EC has enough information and arguments to state their position. In the final presentation we said that the EC will do best by not accepting the Slovenia’s request. Here we are dealing with a border issue, and it has nothing to do with European law,” Metelko-Zgombic said, adding that she was there not as the Ministry official, but as an expert in these matters, having dealt with the Croatia’s border dispute with Slovenia for years.
“Croatia sees this as an expert issue, and the attempts to resolve this through political statements need to stop. We regret that Slovenia turned on the Croatian fishermen and that they did not accept our suggestion to compromise on the border issue,” she said, and added that “one cannot hear political statements from the Croatian side that would lead to tensions.”
The President of the European Court of Justice, Koen Lenaerts, has recently said he had doubts about the legal path chosen by Slovenia, after it had announced a lawsuit against Croatia in a letter to the EC. He said it would be best if both countries would agree to present the case before the EU Court.
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