"I have outlined a crucial problem about European values, pillars for the European integration, being brought into question with the fact that one country is obstructing the other one over the same issue which did not prevent the former to enter the European Union, and that is the outstanding border issue," Sanader said after the EPP summit.
I have presented two proposals which enable Croatia and Slovenia to be sure that none of them will prejudge the demarcation of the border in its documents, Sanader told reporters.
Sanader tabled those two proposals as alternatives in the case that the latest proposal made by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, which was fully accepted by the Croatian parliament a few weeks ago, could not lead to the settlement to the problem.
In the first proposal the Croatian and Slovenian governments and parliaments should adopt a joint statement saying that no decision or document prejudges a solution to the border demarcation issue.
If this is not acceptable to the Slovenian side, then the legal departments of the European Commission and the Council of the EU should be asked to decide if it is actually possible in legal terms for Croatia or any other country to prejudge a solution to border demarcation in accession negotiations with the EU. If the two leading legal departments in Europe say that it is possible, then Croatia will see which documents do so and is ready to withdraw them, because Zagreb doesn't want to prejudge a solution and doesn't want Slovenia to do so either, according to Sanader.
Adopting either proposal must entail an immediate lifting of the blockade, he said.
Sanader said that he expected EPP leaders, who were acquainted with his proposals also in written forms, to positively respond to them.
He said that he would not meet Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor in Brussels during the day.
We talked on the telephone and said that in the coming days we would agree on a meeting, Sanader said.
The Croatian PM said that he did not expect big things from a meeting which later in the day will be held between Commissioner Rehn and the Croatian and Slovenian Foreign Ministers, Gordan Jandrokovic and Samuel Zbogar.
We have accepted Rehn's proposal which was presented as the take-it-or-leave-it offer. The Slovenians have forwarded amendments which we cannot accept, Sanader said.
Also on Thursday, Pahor declined to comment on Sanader's alternative proposals.
"Slovenia is an EU member, and the European Commission is speaking on its behalf," Pahor said in Brussels.
Therefore, Slovenia supports efforts by Commissioner Olli Rehn and the European Commission in this regard, according to the Slovenian media.
Pahor described Rehn as "the master of the proceedings" on what he said an arbitration agreement and that it was up to Rehn to possibly discontinue it.
Pahor also expressed regret at Croatia's refusal of amendments to Rehn's compromise proposal which he formulated in late March.
Later on Thursday, after the Rehn-Zbogar-Jandrokovic meeting, Slovenia's Zbogar shifted the blame to Croatia for what he said the refusal of Rehn's latest proposal on models for solving the border dispute.
Zbogar said that Croatia left the negotiating process which Rehn was conducting with the support of the EU presidential troika.
Slovenia accuses Croatia for nonacceptance of the proposal although Croatia agreed to Rehn's latest proposal in its entirety while Ljubljana has treated it only as a starting point for reaching a formula for the solution of the border row.
Pahor said that the continuation of the process would have a point only if "Croatia agrees that the second draft (of the agreement on arbitration) could be a basis for the further work".