LJUBLJANA, Nov 22 (Hina) - Three crucial issues have remained unresolved in relations between Croatia and Slovenia since the two countries gained independence, despite the fact that the two countries have signed more than 30
agreements. The three issues refer to the border, particularly the sea border (Piran Bay), rights and obligations in the Krsko nuclear power plant, and the obligations of the Ljubljanska Banka Zagreb office toward Croatian clients. Since the beginning of negotiations on the sea border, Slovenia has made it clear that this is a priority of strategic interest, on which the resolution of the other two issues depends. Since the establishment of a mixed diplomatic commission for borders Ljubljana has insisted on the principle of the "integrity of Piran Bay." That principle - which Croatia has contested - boils down to the claim that on the day of the declaration of its independence, Sl
LJUBLJANA, Nov 22 (Hina) - Three crucial issues have remained
unresolved in relations between Croatia and Slovenia since the two
countries gained independence, despite the fact that the two
countries have signed more than 30 agreements.
The three issues refer to the border, particularly the sea border
(Piran Bay), rights and obligations in the Krsko nuclear power
plant, and the obligations of the Ljubljanska Banka Zagreb office
toward Croatian clients.
Since the beginning of negotiations on the sea border, Slovenia has
made it clear that this is a priority of strategic interest, on
which the resolution of the other two issues depends.
Since the establishment of a mixed diplomatic commission for
borders Ljubljana has insisted on the principle of the "integrity
of Piran Bay." That principle - which Croatia has contested - boils
down to the claim that on the day of the declaration of its
independence, Slovenia had complete administrative control over
the bay and that the entire Piran Bay belonged to Slovenia.
The stand of Slovene diplomats is that in talks with Croatia one
should definitely secure Slovenia's territorial access to
international waters. In that sense, compromise solutions, such as
a sea corridor to the open sea or joint administration of the bay,
were refused.
The first visit of Croatian President Stipe Mesic to Slovenia early
this year resulted in statements saying that the strategic interest
of both countries (Slovenia's access to the open sea, i.e.
Croatia's keeping the sea border with Italy) could be included in a
future solution, but after the fall of Prime Minister Janez
Drnovsek's government mid this year talks on that issue were not
renewed because the government of the new premier Bajuk had to focus
on other issues.
The programme of Drnovsek's new government places relations with
Croatia and the resolution of open questions high on the priority
list, without changes to Slovenia's priorities in the open issues.
Progress could be hampered by the fact that the new Slovene
government also includes the Slovene Popular Party, whose leader
Franc Zagozen is not inclined toward the ratification of a local
border agreement because he believes it would prejudge the issue of
the sea border to Slovenia's detriment.
In his first statement after his re-election as Slovenia's premier
in the last elections, Drnovsek said the controversial issues were,
"in terms of politics and expertise," complex, but space for their
solution would be created next year.
There are two "schools of thought" in the Slovene politics as
regards these problems - one believes that the open issues
(including the border) should be resolved as soon as possible as
relations with Croatia continue to come up in European Commission
reports on progress Slovenia makes in drawing closer to the
European Union (as a hampering factor), whereas the other believes
one has to go from smaller to more important problems and count on
the strategic importance Slovenia has for Croatia's admission to
the EU.
The problem of the old Ljubljanska Banka savings and the power from
the Krsko plant have been put in the context of "succession" issues.
Slovenia sticks by the stand that the old foreign currency savings
from the Ljubljanska Banka Zagreb office were deposited on the
account of the former National Bank of Yugoslavia in line with the
then regulations and that the possibility of resolving this problem
was decreased after the cancellation of Ljubljanska Banka's
operating licence in Croatia. It is also claimed that the newly-
established Nova Ljubljanska Banka - which took over the assets of
the old Ljubljanska Banka - has no obligations toward the clients of
Ljubljanska Banka Zagreb.
Last year's intensive attempts to sign an international agreement
on a property share in and obligations toward the Krsko nuclear
power plant ended in stalemate following this year's political
changes, first in Croatia and then in Slovenia. Slovene authorities
believe that this problem, as well as restarting the power supply
from Krsko to the Croatian Power Industry (HEP), will be the easiest
to solve, but they insist that the price of power include the costs
of the future dismantling of the plant.
(hina) rml