ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - Given the mood of the majority of Croatian MPs, the government estimates it will not be possible to resume negotiations on the border with Slovenia along the lines they began on, Deputy Prime Minister Drazen
Budisa said in parliament on Wednesday.
ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - Given the mood of the majority of Croatian
MPs, the government estimates it will not be possible to resume
negotiations on the border with Slovenia along the lines they began
on, Deputy Prime Minister Drazen Budisa said in parliament on
Wednesday. #L#
Vesna Skare-Ozbolt of the Democratic Centre inquired if the
government stood behind the initialled border deal. Budisa said the
government would have to define new starting points in negotiations
with Slovenia given that the parliamentary majority refused to
ratify the deal.
Resolving open issues with Slovenia is of vital interest for
Croatia, especially regarding the border, the jointly owned Krsko
nuclear power plant, and the debt owed by Ljubljanska Bank to
Croatian depositors, said Budisa. In future negotiations, however,
both sides will have to show patience, as escalating the situation
is not the solution, he added.
Asked if the government had given up on the initialled border deal,
Budisa said "the government has not made such a decision but will
respect the opinion of the majority in parliament."
Marijana Petir of the Croatian Peasant Party asked Deputy PM Goran
Granic when the government would answer questions about the
management of nuclear waste from Krsko and when parliament would be
informed about the plant's safety. She reminded that the law on
ionising radiation. prohibits storing radioactive waste which was
not produced in Croatia, and that Krsko would soon have to be
dismantled.
Granic said the answers would be found in the final draft of a
decision on the ratification of the Krsko deal. Parliament should
tackle the draft decision in October.
(hina) ha sb