After the meeting between the Croatian premier Ivo Sanader and Slovenian premier Borut Pahor, Slovenia blocked another chapter of the Croatian negotiations with the EU, at a workgroup meeting of the European Council. The chapter concerning trade associations is in question, which encompasses the rights of trade associations in a narrow sense, or the rules about founding, registering, joining and splitting companies, as well as accounting and revision.

In a report by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they state that Slovenia filed a complaint on the closure of that chapter because the accession documentation that Croatia handed in contains a rule book of the way people are entered into the court registry, and it relates to the law on the regions of counties, places and municipalities.

“In article 21 on determining the Istrian county, concerning the town of Buje, it includes the villages of Buzini, Skrile, Skudelin and Veli Mlin, which are in Slovenian territory” says the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Blockade of chapter for internal economy

They stress that Slovenia has removed their obstacle for opening the chapter on justice and fundamental rights, but this was not done by some European Union countries, so the chapter remains unsynchronised.

Croatian diplomatic sources have also confirmed to us that Slovenia has blocked the chapter on trade association rights, because the Croatian internal economy contains elements that do not suit them.

Remember, when the disputed chapter was being opened with the same documents, Slovenia did not have any problems. However, a few hours after the meeting between Pahor and Sanader, more precisely on Tuesday around 5pm, Slovenia shocked again and blocked the chapter that should be closed by March 27 according to plans.

23rd chapter will not be opened before Brammertz’s report

Five Countries Block Croatia for Hagie Cooperation

Croatia is also unable to open the 23rd chapter – justice and fundamental rights – because some member nations did not give the green light for that process. However, those countries have not officially blocked the opening of the chapter, but have decided to wait for the report by the chief Hague prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

Remember, last year the European Commission concluded that all of the conditions have been fulfilled for the opening of that chapter.

“It is on the table until we open the chapter” said diplomatic sources, illustrating the current situation concerning the 23rd chapter. They added that it is only a matter of time before permission will be gained for opening it.

Milan Brglez, the head of the department for international relations at the Ljubljana Faculty of Political Sciences, stresses that it is important that contact has finally been established between Pahor and Sanader, even though the first meeting did not bring any results.

Referendum depends on relations between Croatia and Slovenia

As far as the blockade is concerned, Brglez claims that the accession documentation most probably was the source where they found the disputed points, more precisely the Croatian internal laws.

According to his opinion, the dispute should be solved by a third party.

“A third party, the European Commission, offered help. Intervention would of course only be the first step. All options are open” says Brglez.

He added that the Slovenian premier is the captive of extreme stances, and that his most important task is to establish a compromise.

“The referendum mostly depends on the relations between Croatia and Slovenia. Both sides cannot provoke public opinion, because it unfortunately changed very quickly” says Brglez.

Croatian diplomats consider that Slovenia is acting like it does not need a reason for some moves. Even though nothing in the documents that Croatia supplied is disputed, Slovenia portrays that in a totally different way, claim the diplomats.