Reporters asked incumbent President Tuerk and former Prime Minister Pahor if Croatia would become a competitor to Slovenia, which has been presented in the international public as a regional leader and the most successful country in transition, notably in the wake of recent protests in Slovenia because of corrupt political elites and the public belief in Slovenia that Croatia's judicial system is better in dealing with corruption, as evidenced by trials against former prominent politicians and the recent conviction of former PM Ivo Sanader.
Tuerk said it was not bad to have competition and that Croatia had shown in a number of cases determination in the fight against corruption, regardless of the status of the person on trial, which he said showed that the rule of law functioned.
Speaking of the border arbitration agreement with Croatia, Pahor said he still considered it a big success of his former cabinet, voicing confidence that the outcome would be favourable for Slovenia, as the agreement tasked the judges with demarcating Slovenia's access to the high seas, a link between its internal and international waters.
Tuerk agreed the arbitration agreement had been a good solution, saying Pahor had consulted him about it a number of times. The decision is in the judges' hands but the agreement envisages the possibility that the two countries agree on the border dispute without arbitration, which cannot be completely ruled out, he said.
The two presidential candidates also responded to a number of questions about the economic situation in Slovenia.