The European Parliament's rapporteur for Croatia Hannes Swoboda has said he has no intention of withdrawing a proposal in his draft report on Croatia's readiness for EU membership that Slovenia and Croatia consider arbitration in efforts to solve their border dispute.
Swoboda told public broadcaster Radio Slovenija on Thursday that the report on Croatia's progress towards the EU would contain the supplement that calls upon the two countries to consider arbitration as a way of finding a final solution to the border issue.
The Austrian MEP said he agreed that arbitration was the last option and that bilateral negotiations should continue, while the two countries should also keep in mind the 2001 Drnovsek-Racan border agreement.
Swoboda added that the final wording of the report that would be prepared for discussion in the European Parliament's External Relations Committee on 27 March would contain the latest Slovenian proposals.
He said that he would draft a compromise that would combine the differing elements of opposing proposals.
His comments come after talks with Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel on Tuesday. Rupel expressed a hope after the meeting that the draft report on Croatia's progress towards EU accession would be amended in a way to "make it more balanced".
The Slovenian FM explained at the time that he had decided for the meeting with Swoboda after a lobbying campaign had been launched by Croatia at the European Parliament with regard to the mentioned report.
"I believe that after a wave of certain other interventions Slovenia's intervention was urgently needed and that other steps will follow," Rupel said after the meeting.
Rupel would not reveal the details of talks with Swoboda but did sum them up by saying that the pair established that it was unacceptable that the report perceived as equal the status of Slovenia as an EU member and Croatia as a candidate state.
"I believe that some positive changes will follow," he added. "In principle Swoboda is favourably inclined towards a more balanced approach to the issue of Slovenian-Croatian relations. We suggested specific corrections, and we will see what happens," Rupel concluded.
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