Minister Pusić on recent developments in relations with Slovenia and topics of GAC meeting

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić attended today a meeting of the General Affairs Council

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić attended today a meeting of the General Affairs Council. Asked by reporters after the meeting to comment on the Slovenian parliament’s voting on the border arbitration brief, Pusić reiterated that the submission deadline was 11 February. “Why the Slovenian side has decided to send its border arbitration brief to parliament – I cannot comment on that. They must have their reasons, given the political moment.” 

She said that Croatia had completed its border arbitration brief and that the government would discuss it one more time this week. “This is a first-rate document consisting of some 300 pages that has been drawn up in cooperation with the world's top experts, and I think it will be submitted before the deadline," Pusić said, announcing that on Wednesday Slovenian Foreign Minister Erjavec and her will discuss with two financial experts the Ljubljanska Banka issue and try to find a compromise. Asked about the information that Croatia would propose liquidation or bankruptcy for the New Ljubljanska Banka, Pusić said there were three or four different alternatives being discussed, but that was not one of them. 

Asked to comment on the article by the Slovenian Delo daily, stating that the Ljubljanska Banka's receivables from Croatian companies are “much higher” than transferred Croatian savings were, Pusić said it was not a matter of impression, but hard data. 

“Our financial expert has data issued by the Slovenian government which indicates that this ratio is in fact the opposite. It is not up to foreign ministers to rely on guess work, it is up to the financial experts to determine relations based on relevant documentation,” she said. One thing is certain, and that is that there is a will on both sides to settle this matter. Regarding the possibility of offsetting Ljubljanska Banka’s debts, Pusić said it was just one of the possible alternatives. “We are willing to discuss all of the possibilities and see which would be most financially and politically acceptable for both sides,” Pusić said. 

As for the topics of the GAC meeting, Pusić said one of the most interesting was the possibility of expanding the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and important partners, notably the US and Japan, and Colombia and Peru. Also discussed was the progress in the negotiations on free trade with the Eastern Partnership countries. “I included in the discussion the countries of CEFTA and Southeast Europe, i.e. our neighbours which are important for us and have a prospect of European membership and trade liberalization,” Pusić said, adding that the meeting also discussed the countries of Arab Spring. In that regard, she stressed that relations with Morocco were of particular importance to Croatia and that a special cooperation agreement between the two countries was being drafted.

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