"Slovenia has only one outstanding issue with Croatia, Ljubljanska Banka, and there are more than 20 outstanding issues between Croatia and Serbia, including the border. If we don't solve that one problem, I can't imagine how that will go between Croatia and Serbia," he was quoted as saying in Ljubljana's Dnevnik daily of Monday.
Volk said Ljubljana believed the bank issue was solved in 2010, when Slovenia supported the completion of Croatia's accession negotiations with the EU, adding that now there was not much time to solve the issue which had become an "objective problem."
"Until now we have tried everything but a solution. Now is the time for a solution," he said, voicing confidence that an agreement would be reached on the issue, which is a condition for Slovenia to ratify Croatia's EU accession treaty.
Volk said EU membership would benefit Croatia. "In the first couple of years, membership brings higher economic growth. Croatia is now in a period of optimism and it depends on (Croatia) how much of this optimism it will turn into concrete benefit after joining the European Union."