CRO FOREIGN & ECONOMY MINISTER COMMENT ON RELATIONS WITH SLOVENIA

( Editorial: --> 8053 ) ZAGREB, July 16 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign and Economy Ministers Mate Granic and Nenad Porges respectively on Thursday commented on events concerning the joint Croatian-Slovene nuclear power plant Krsko as well as a dispute between the Croatian and Slovene shellfish breeders in Piran Bay (Croatian-Slovene border) and issues concerning the Ljubljanska Banka debt to Croatian depositors. The two ministers spoke about these questions following the open part of a Croatian Government session. The announced suit of the Krsko power plant against Croatia is not a good way to solve the dispute, Granic said. If this problem is not solved on a level of negotiating teams, the talks will be joined by the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister, he added. Slovene radio on Wednesday reported that the Krsko nuclear power plant had filed a suit against Croatia with the Krsko District Court, demanding the payment of about DM 100 million of Croatia's debt for unpaid electric power supply. However, leaders of the Croatian Power Supply (HEP) said that the HEP owed DM 10 million for the plant's current operations. Croatia insists on the implementation of the interstate agreement between Croatia and Slovenia, Economy Minister Porges said. Everyone has a legitimate right to file a suit, but no one can be declared guilty until court procedure is over, Porges said. The Slovene side does not allow Croatia to participate in making decisions on the plant's work and maintenance, Porges said adding that the Croatian side (public company HEP) is the plant's co- owner, not only a buyer of electricity. That is why Croatia does not want to pay for the projects it did not participate in, he added. He recalled Croatian guarantees to participate in and pay costs of closing down the plant, which is to happen in 20 to 30 years. "The Croatian Government has no intention of ordering the HEP to pay for the closing down of the plant, which is to happen in 20-30 years," Porges said. Foreign Minister Granic spoke about a dispute concerning the shellfish breeding in Piran Bay, in which Slovenia demands the change of the border to its benefit. In 1992 Croatia and Slovenia agreed that there would be no construction works or new facilities in the border area, Granic recalled. On 10 July, the Slovene Foreign Ministry lodged a protest with the Croatian Embassy, objecting to the construction of a shellfish farm in Piran Bay. Although there is shellfish farm on the Slovene part of Piran Bay, Prime Minister Matesa talked with the Istria County Prefect and they agreed that Istrian fishermen would be given concessions for shellfish breeding on another location and that works on the shellfish farm would be stopped, Granic said. He stressed the need for the two countries to hold a meeting as soon as possible and start the process of determining the border line. Granic also commented on the still unresolved problem of Ljubljanska Banka debt to Croatian depositors. The two sides will soon meet to discuss this problem, he said. Granic said he personally supported Croatian depositors and their requests. The date of the meeting is already being discussed, he added. (hina) jn rml 161816 MET jul 98