Croatia expects European Commission’s help over Slovenia’s razor wire fence

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić sent a letter today to First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, informing him that the razor wire fence Slovenia is erecting along the border with Croatia represents an unsurpassable barrier for the migration of wild species...

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić sent a letter today to First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, informing him that the razor wire fence Slovenia is erecting along the border with Croatia represents an unsurpassable barrier for the migration of wild species and hunting animals, in one of the best preserved corners of Europe. Concluding that Slovenia’s activities in the areas of Gorski kotar and Istria represent a clear breach of the Habitats Directive and directly violate the goals of the ecological network Natura 2000 preservation, Pusić expressed belief that the Commission would discharge its duties as the “Guardian of the Treaties” and take swift action to ensure effective implementation of EU nature conservation legislation.

“Slovenia’s decision to erect a razor wire fence needs to be discussed and analysed also from other perspectives, going well beyond the nature protection dimension, where clear breaches of EU law seem to be taking place. It is important to bear in mind that over the last weeks, our neighbouring country has repeatedly violated the Croatian territory and our bilateral Agreement on Local Border Traffic and Cooperation, deciding on numerous occasions to erect the razor wire fence on undisputed Croatian territory and blocking a number of jointly determined small-border crossings used by local population for centuries, gravely intruding on their daily routines,” reads the letter. Croatia has so far acted in a restrained manner, avoided incidents of any kind and expressed dissatisfaction and concern over Slovenia’s actions by lodging five diplomatic notes in as many weeks. However, in spite of some assurances by Slovenia’s top officials that in those areas other border control measures would be put in place instead of fence, this did not materialize, warned Pusić.

Underlining that the only concrete answer by Slovenian authorities seemed to be the erection of the razor wire fence in the Natura 2000 protected areas, Pusić was hopeful that Slovenia would respond to numerous objections, recently increasingly coming from within Slovenia as well, and in the spirit of European and good-neighbourly relations cease to put up this dangerous razor wire fence and dismantle the sections already erected.

“Croatian authorities could understand measures undertaken for the protection of national security of any state as long as they are adequate and in particular proportionate for the accomplishment of goals they aim to achieve. Erection of a dangerous razor wire fence along the whole state border, where in vast parts there is no risk of illegal crossings, cannot be considered as an adequate and proportionate measure. On the contrary, such actions seriously erode good-neighbourly relations and cooperation among two member states, the very same values on which the European Union is built. Europe without borders represents one of the foundations of the European Union and therefore we firmly believe that razor wire fence has no place in the European Union of the 21^st century,” reads the letter.

Pusić stressed that such activities on part of Slovenia would negatively affect economy and tourism on both sides of the border. It is not only the habitats of protected species like bears, lynx and wolves, but in particular the centuries’ long contacts between local inhabitants that are now being artificially, yet with serious consequences, intruded upon. Such actions shrink the room for understanding and cooperation that are needed in the European Union today, especially taking into account the numerous challenges the Union is being faced with. Unilateral measures like this one as well as their uncoordinated nature create uncertainty and instability in the region, and certainly don’t contribute to our joint commitment to a European and comprehensive answer to the crisis.

In conclusion, Pusić once again expressed Croatia’s belief that the razor wire fence erected on its border would be removed without further delay and that life in border areas would be allowed to get back to normal. From our side, Pusić wrote, we shall continue to work hard towards achieving this solution and count on your assistance in this regard.

Pusić also informed Timmermans that Croatian Minister of Environmental and Nature Protection Mihael Zmajlović today sent a detailed letter to Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella, expressing grave concern over the fact that Slovenia’s activities in border areas are blatantly violating the Habitats Directive and negatively impacting the goals and integrity of the Natura 2000 areas. Zmajlović asked Vella to examine the lawfulness and justifiability of erecting a razor wire fence along the green border with Croatia. 

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