EU Calls on Croatia Not to Enforce Ecological Zone

Brussels, 10 December

EU foreign ministers called on Monday on Croatia to refrain from enforcing its ecological and fisheries zone until a common agreement on the issue is reached. "If Croatia's decisions are not corrected, they could severely aggravate relations between Croatia and the EU," Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel commented on the resolution.

According to Rupel, the position of Slovenia and Italy as well as some other EU representatives was confirmed today on European level.
Croatia's plans to start enforcing the zone in the Adricatic for EU members on 1 January 2008 breaches the agreement between the three countries and the European Council resolution adopted in June 2004, the minister said.
"What Croatia promised needs to be fulfiled. The zone cannot be enforced without an agreement between neighbouring countries, especially Slovenia and Italy," Rupel said, stressing that the foreign ministers' resolution was now in black and white and needed to be taken seriously.
However, if Croatia does not live up to its promises, Slovenia has some scenarios ready, Rupel said. One of them includes blocking chapters related to issues arising from Croatia's decision, including border and fisheries issues, Rupel said, adding this could amount to five or six chapters being blocked.
The minister did not exclude more radical actions, but said that "the government did not abandon its fundamentally positive stance towards Croatia". He added that Slovenia would continue to strive for Croatia's European future.
According to Rupel, this issue is relatively easy to eliminate, and today's resolution is "a call on Croatia to do what needs to be done in the shortest time possible". Slovenia will meanwhile "stick to what it defended in the EU" and what the ministers confirmed at today's session, he said.

EU Calls on Croatia Not to Enforce Ecological Zone

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