MESIC: PROTECTED ZONE NOT DETRIMENTAL TO ITALY OR SLOVENIA

ZAGREB, Oct 6 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on Monday that the parliament's decision to proclaim a protected fishing and ecological zone "is not detrimental to Italy or Slovenia, and definitely benefits the protection of the Adriatic". #L# "We can talk, but decisions can be made only by those entitled to make them under international conventions," Mesic told Croatian Radio. Asked whether Croatia should have proclaimed an economic zone, Mesic said that the context was almost the same and that the name of the document was only a formality. Mesic said that the proclamation of the protected fishing- ecological zone would not slow down the process of Croatia's joining the EU, adding, however, that the decision could slow down the ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Croatia and the EU. Asked why the EU was indirectly opposing the decision to proclaim the fishing-ecological zone, Mesic said the EU wanted a consensus. "We have received political opinions about that but not a binding opinion", said Mesic. Mesic said that the decision to proclaim the zone concerned many and that it was important that everybody was informed of the reasons why Croatia had made such a decision. Before implementing it, it needs to be explained that the decision is not to anyone's detriment but to their benefit, the president said. Asked whether the moment was right to make such a decision, Mesic said that unless the parliament adopted it, the issue would become an electoral topic which would not be good. (hina) it sb