LJUBLJANA, Aug 18 (Hina) - Slovenia has failed to meet a three-month deadline to respond to a request for the payment of US$54 million in damages to the Croatian Electricity Board (HEP), but the Slovene environment and zoning minister
will present his country's position on the matter in a letter to Croatian Economy Minister Ljubo Jurcic, Slovenian media reported Monday.
LJUBLJANA, Aug 18 (Hina) - Slovenia has failed to meet a three-month
deadline to respond to a request for the payment of US$54 million in
damages to the Croatian Electricity Board (HEP), but the Slovene
environment and zoning minister will present his country's
position on the matter in a letter to Croatian Economy Minister
Ljubo Jurcic, Slovenian media reported Monday. #L#
Slovene ministry sources were quoted as saying that the requested
damages for Slovenia's failure to deliver electricity to Croatia
from the Krsko nuclear power plant from July 2002 to April 2003 were
"substantially exaggerated".
The sources said that Environment and Zoning Minister Janez Kopacek
would agree for the said amount to be the basis for talks and that he
would suggest that Croatian officials set a venue and date for
negotiations.
Unofficial sources said the main reason for Slovenia's delayed
response was of a financial nature. Another reason was said to be a
request by the Slovene parliament that the draft agreement on the
Krsko plant, which has been ratified, contain strict deadlines for
storing radioactive waste and dismantling the plant.
Slovene environment ministry spokeswoman Setina Miklic told the
"Delo" daily it was hard to say when negotiations on the request for
damages would start.
(hina) lml