ZAGREB, CROATIA – Croatia has no reason to give up from its stance that the border issue with Slovenia should be solved before the International Court of Justice, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said in parliament today, adding that he could not comment on a proposal by the European Commission about solving the issue until it is official.

Asked by MP Ante Djapic whether the government will still insist for the border dispute with Slovenia to be resolved exclusively before international courts, Sanader stressed that  Croatia had no reason to give up from the agreement on Bled.

The agreement was endorsed by both sides. It stipulates that joint commissions define contentious border points and the legal framework so the dispute can be resolved before an international court.

- Giving up on this would mean that somebody is not feeling strong enough, that their arguments are not good and that they have a bad position. I do not want the Slovenians to feel that, let them feel safe. We will argue our points before the International Court of Justice and the court will decide who has better arguments and both parliaments should commit themselves to accept the verdict of the court.

Sanader applauded EC’s involvement in the Croatian-Slovene dispute 

Prime Minister Sanader hailed the involvement of the European Commission in the dispute, stressing that he had asked for that after Slovenia’s blockade of Croatia’s negotiations with the EU. But he also recalled that Croatia has received no official proposal from the EC, so he cannot comment it.

- I am sticking to the agreement with the European Commission and my word. The Commission chairman asked that of both sides, not to comment until it is over – he said.

He stressed that the EU had several times confirmed the principle that bilateral issues are not placed in the negotiation process, adding that Croatia had never posed any obstacles for Slovenia, but supported its entry into the EU.

Pahor’s statements about a preventive blockade are senseless 

Sanader said that anti-fascism was in the foundations of the Croatian state, but that anti-fascism is separated from communism, stressing that during the time of the joint country, Croatia and Slovenia shared the most advanced ideas and were friends.

So, he says, his comment on announcements by the Slovenian political leadership about a referendum on Croatia’s accession into the EU is that they can have it, because he is convinced that most Slovenians would support Croatia on its way to the EU, which a recent poll showed.

- So the explanation by the Slovenian prime minister that they blocked Croatia and its negotiations were preventive to avoid a referendum that would result negatively for Croatia is completely senseless – Sanader said.