- It's an old theory, but I don’t think it works. It is not very likely that Slovenians have the information that we don’t - Davor Stern, the former CEO of INA Oil Company says. He rejects, the theory that Istria has rich oil and gas supplies and that this is the reason why border has become such a big issue all of a sudden.

On the other hand, a retired Army officer, Nediljko Pusic claims that Slovenia and its politicians are not interested in the rules of navigation or fishing in the Adriatic Sea. He believes that they are primarily interested in claiming sovereignty over that part of the northern Adriatic because it holds huge amounts of oil and gas. He is also convinced that they want the control of the left bank of the Piran Bay because of the mineral wealth accumulated beneath the quarry.

Pusic claims that his theory is supported by the documentation assembled by the international institutions and experts. Such information would greatly illuminate the Slovenian intransigence in negotiations with Croatia.

 

Problems, like the one surrounding the Caspian basin, may arise

Retired Major General was inspired to conduct an investigation after the Croatian ZERP was suspended because of strong pressure from Slovenia and the EU. He began to investigate the causes that led to the situation around the Piran Bay in January of 2008 an is convinced that the reasons are much deeper than the Slovenian government initially announced.

- Territorial boundaries cannot limit the oil site. This may cause problems like the ones surrounding the Caspian basin, which is known oil site and is currently claimed by Iran, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Russia – Stern, a former economy minister warns.

U.S .government’s Geological Service did a survey on oil sites around the world and provided relevant information regarding the amount found, the amount extracted and the supply that remained unused. On the geological map of Europe where they charted all oil, gas fields and geological provinces, they list a Po 4060 Basin Province which stops at the Savudrija Cape. Their report also asserts that the east and northeast of the cape do not contain any oil and gas reserves.

However, in spite the fact that he does not believe the theory, Stern cannot dismiss it altogether.

-It is known that area around Pula has gas sites. This is the reason why one cannot exclude the possibility that they may exist in the area - the former CEO of the INA says.