CROATIA WARNS SLOVENIA ABOUT FISHING IN BORDERING PIRAN BAY

ZAGREB, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry on Friday said in a statement Croatia had warned Slovenia it had violated an agreement on the avoidance of incidents by granting permission for fishing in Piran Bay. Croatian Assistant Foreign Minister Josko Paro on Friday received the Slovene Embassy's charge d'affaires in Zagreb, Bogdan Benko. Paro expressed the "view that by granting concession for grey mullet fishing in Piran Bay without prior notification of and agreement from the Croat side, the Slovene side acted contrary to the agreement on the avoidance of incidents." The borderline in Piran Bay is an open issue between Croatia and Slovenia. Slovenia claims it is entitled to the entire bay waters, which Croatia refutes referring to extant borderlines. The Foreign Ministry's statement said "the delimitation in Piran Bay has still not been agreed on, and it is a politically delicate issue," and stressed the Croatian side had always advocated an agreed and mutually acceptable resolution for all possible open issues. The Slovene charge d'affaires assessed such behaviour and protest were lacking in foundation. The grey mullet fishing technique is such that it is conducted along the Slovene coastline, between Piran and Portoroz, he said. Paro said the Croatian Agriculture and Forestry Ministry was also willing to grant fishermen from the Croatian part of the Piran Bay coastline concession for the same type of fishing. Paro believes the Slovene parliament will ratify an agreement on local border traffic and cooperation as soon as possible. The agreement would ensure an agreed and mutually acceptable resolution for issues related to fishing, shell breeding, and similar activities, to the effect of securing reciprocal benefits for the people living on both sides of the border. (hina) ha jn