Comments concerning Slovenian MFA document on blocking six chapters

Regarding repeated requests for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to comment on the document by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on blocking six chapters, we would like to state the following:

The Republic of Croatia is doing its utmost to complete the accession negotiations during 2009 and is fulfilling its obligations constantly cooperating and consulting with the European Commission and the EU members.

The document published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia is not based on facts or the real state of affairs. We would like to point out that in none of the negotiation chapters or attached documents is the Republic of Croatia prejudicing the border with the Republic of Slovenia. In accordance with the Bled Agreement signed between the two prime ministers, all issues are resolved bilaterally through interstate commissions.

Also, it is a common knowledge that the Croatian Parliament has passed a decision not to implement ZERP (Protected Ecological Fishery Zone) on the EU members, which includes the Republic of Slovenia, until reaching a joint agreement in the European spirit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration expects of the new Slovenian Government to take a constructive approach to all outstanding issues and respect the rule that bilateral issues cannot be a subject of accession negotiation with candidate countries. In that regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration expects that in the future, communication concerning accession negotiations in all of their aspects will unfold within the relevant institutions.

Conclusively, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration would like to emphasize that it has not been officially notified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia regarding the alleged disputed issues in said chapters.