ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - The Slovene Constitutional Court's decision that a Croatian-Slovene deal on the jointly owned Krsko nuclear power plant does not contrast with Slovenia's Constitution has no bearing on the Croatian side and
additionally confuses the public, the head of the Croatian power company HEP's team for Krsko, Kazimir Vrankic, told Hina on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - The Slovene Constitutional Court's decision
that a Croatian-Slovene deal on the jointly owned Krsko nuclear
power plant does not contrast with Slovenia's Constitution has no
bearing on the Croatian side and additionally confuses the public,
the head of the Croatian power company HEP's team for Krsko, Kazimir
Vrankic, told Hina on Tuesday. #L#
He said that HEP, as a foreign investor in Slovenia, would launch
pre-arbitration proceedings early in the new year because the
Slovene parliament would not ratify the deal before this year is
out, as evidenced by the agenda announced for an upcoming two-day
sitting.
Slovenia's Constitutional Court yesterday ruled that the agreement
was in compliance with the country's Constitution. Ljubljana has
been citing the waiting for the ruling as the main reason for
parliament' non-approval of the agreement.
HEP will launch pre-arbitration proceedings in January to avoid
statute of limitations for international arbitration, said
Vrankic.
This means HEP will propose that Slovenia pay for Croatian property
in the power plant which was confiscated following a Slovene decree
in 1998. HEP will seek just financial compensation in the amount of
US$720 million, which corresponds to Krsko's Croatian half.
Slovenia has already expressed interest in buying out Croatia's
share in Krsko for US$150 million, a figure Croatia has said is
merely symbolic.
The two countries signed a deal on the jointly owned plant located
in Slovenia late in 2001.
The Croatian parliament ratified the agreement in July together
with a conclusion stating that if conditions for its implementation
were not secured by 1 January 2003, namely if the Slovene parliament
did not ratify it, the Croatian parliament would consider
invalidating the law approving the agreement.
Under the deal, the two sides' claims regarding Krsko were cleared
through 1 July 2002. HEP subsequently claimed damages in the amount
of US$35 million after Slovenia failed to return confiscated
property in the agreed time. Slovenia, however, does not recognise
the invoice.
HEP has not been receiving electricity from Krsko since late July
1998 when the Slovene government passed the decree transforming the
nuclear power plant into a public company and switched off
transmission lines to Zagreb.
(hina) ha sb