In this situation, I support Croatia 100 percent! Mediation cannot be conducted without the legal framework before the International Court of Justice. The commission proposed by Olli Rehn would be biased and favour the Slovene side. Croatia`s position was not sufficiently considered in this proposal, doctor Hannes Swoboda, reporter for Croatia in the European Parliament exclusively told Javno news site, commenting yesterday`s statement of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, PM Ivo Sanader and Parliament Speaker Luka Bebic.

The bilateral issue should not be mixes with negotiations of any country for European Union accession. After the talks are deblocked, the dispute should be solved before the International Court of Justice.

Croatia PM Ivo Sanader

After the official announcement, which Croatia has planned for next week, with which it accepts the mediation of the commission proposed by Olli Rehn just for the preparation of the legal framework of facing the International court of Justice, dr. Hannes Swoboda believes that Olli Rehn should summon a meeting of Slovene and Croatian foreign affairs ministers so that a joint solution can be sought.

The whole situation will lead to Croatia`s European Union accession being prolonged, so that accession talks might be finalised by the end of 2010 and then the accession procedure lasts a year and a half. I believe it is realistic that Croatia will become a member of the European Union on January 3, 2012 – dr. Hannes Swoboda concluded.