LJUBLJANA, Sept 7 (Hina) - The Joras case and its internationalisation will be of no use to Slovenia, and it will cold the relations with Croatia more than the fishing incidents in Piran Bay do, a Slovene university professor, Janez
Smidovnik wrote in his comment piece published in Saturday's issue of the "Delo" daily.
LJUBLJANA, Sept 7 (Hina) - The Joras case and its
internationalisation will be of no use to Slovenia, and it will cold
the relations with Croatia more than the fishing incidents in Piran
Bay do, a Slovene university professor, Janez Smidovnik wrote in
his comment piece published in Saturday's issue of the "Delo"
daily. #L#
Smidovnik, an outstanding expert for public administration and the
2001 winner of the national award for his contribution to the
development of that field, refutes "disputability" of the border
line along the Dragonja river, and points out the negative effects
of the Joras case, in the article headlined "Is Josko Jorac Fighter
for the Slovene Border or Stool-Pigeon?".
Smidovnik says that Slovenia, just as Croatia, cited "the border
between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia within
the SFRY (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)" in its acts
pertaining to the independence following the collapse of the former
Yugoslav federation.
The retired professor adds that Slovenia has never had jurisdiction
south of the Dragonja river.
In the contentious hamlets along the Dragonja, Croatian organs, and
never Slovenian, were the authorities as long at the SFRY existed,
and it is not possible to change this fact but it should rather be
taken into account during attempts to establish the definite
demarcation line between the two countries. In that case Josko
Joras can harm rather than be of use to Slovenia," he wrote.
"The internationalisation of the Joras Case in the Council of
Europe, which Slovene Foreign Minister started, will be of no
benefit for bids to define the border on the Dragonja, but it will
cold the relations with Croatia more than the fishing incidents
will. To call Croatian officials on talks in order to defuse the
situation in Piran Bay, and at the same time tell tales about
Croatia in Strasbourg can only insult Zagreb," Smidovnik added.
Thus, the professor refutes clams of the Slovene Foreign Minister,
Dimitrij Rupel, who on Friday wrote to his Croatian counterpart
Tonino Picula that since the end of the Second World War Slovenia
had had sovereignty on over 100 hectares of land south of the
Dragonja.
Smidovnik reminds that in 1994, following an energetic protest of
Zagreb, the Slovene parliament was forced to annul its "paper
annexation" of the Buzini, Skudelini and Skrilje hamlets that had
been included into the municipality of Piran and was also forced to
introduce moderate formulation and agree that the provision in
question would remain in force until Ljubljana and Zagreb reach an
interstate agreement on the border.
(hina) ms