SPLIT, Nov 28 (Hina) - The Croatian Fishermen's Union on Friday condemned Italian and European Union politicians for "exerting pressure on the Croatian delegation at the Venice conference on sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean,
who were to defend the decision by the Croatian parliament to declare a protected ecological and fishing zone in the Adriatic."
SPLIT, Nov 28 (Hina) - The Croatian Fishermen's Union on Friday
condemned Italian and European Union politicians for "exerting
pressure on the Croatian delegation at the Venice conference on
sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean, who were to defend the
decision by the Croatian parliament to declare a protected
ecological and fishing zone in the Adriatic." #L#
With the parliament's decision to proclaim a protected ecological
and fishing zone, the Croatian fishermen have won "the first half of
the game", but the real duel with "arrogant politicians from the EU"
is yet to come, union leader Petar Baranovic told a press conference
in Split.
"The decision by the Sabor, which we fully support, is legitimate
and justified, and is based on the provisions of the International
Convention on the Law of the Sea. But it is obvious, as was indicated
by the political atmosphere at the conference in Venice, that the
Italian and Slovene representatives insist that the Croatian part
of the Adriatic should remain as a supermarket without a checkout,"
Baranovic said.
The union leader accused Italy of leading "perfidious" politics
towards Croatia, and called on the Croatian government not to
submit to the political pressure but rather protect the basic
economic interests of Croatian fishermen.
The Fishermen's Union supports the introduction of protective
measures to preserve fish stocks and insists that Croatia should
not accept any commitments regarding the division of the catch and
resources in the Adriatic.
"Only after models of exploitation of the ecological and fishing
zone are defined can we discuss the division of the fish stock,"
Baranovic said.
(hina) vm