According to Thursday's press in Slovenia, SPS leader Janez Podobnik, who has recently become Environmental Protection Minister, has said that he has no intention whatsoever of paying a fine of 2,500 kuna (approx. 333 euros).
Podobnik also recalled that the Slovene Justice Ministry had turned down a request by the Croatian Justice Ministry to hand over the rulings on fines to the participants in the incident, in line with a bilateral agreement on legal assistance.
The Ljubljana-based Delo daily reports that the Slovene Foreign Ministry, in its comment on the fines imposed on 12 Slovene citizens, has stated that "Slovenia does not recognise Croatia's jurisdiction in the area where the incident occurred" which was why it considered the decision of the Croatian judicial bodies invalid.
Podobnik may be sentenced to nine days in jail if he fails to pay the fine, according to Croatian laws.
The incident occurred last September when Podobnik and other SPS members refused to produce their IDs to Croatian police at the Plovanija border crossing as they were returning from a visit to SPS member Josko Joras, who lives in Croatia.