i believe that Croatia can make that step forward regarding documents which Slovenia holds as a prerequisite for the outcome of the negotiations, the Italian minister told the primetime news broadcast of the Croatian national television (HTV) on Saturday evening.
If that documentation could be withdrawn, so much the better, Frattini said adding that matters of such importance should be dealt with by the European Commission.
On Thursday, Frattini said that there existed realistic hope that Croatia could join the EU next year and called on Ljubljana to be more flexible towards Zagreb, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Speaking at a city council session in Trieste, Frattini recalled that Italy had helped Slovenia join the EU and that therefore it expected Slovenia to show flexibility that would ensure Croatia's accession to the EU within an acceptable time.
"Now we must engage in Croatia's accession to the EU. Everyone has to do their share and Slovenia has to show more flexibility," he said, adding all member countries were happy with Croatia's accession to NATO.
Slovenia is blocking Croatia's accession negotiations with the EU over a border dispute, claiming that some documents Zagreb sent to Brussles within the negotiating process prejudged the border identification.