Regarding yesterday’s statement by Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitirij Rupel that Croatian-Slovenian relations are friendly, but complicated

As regards solving the remaining border issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration would like to express its belief in the further progress of the activities of the interstate commissions, founded after the meeting between the two prime ministers in August 2007 in Bled, which has also been discussed during the last meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers, held last month in Brdo near Kranj. In that regard, we would like to confirm once again our readiness to solve the outstanding border issues before an independent international body of justice.

Bilateral issues cannot and should not affect one country’s accession negotiations, as it stands in stark contrast to the spirit and principles of the European Union. Therefore, a decision on the conditioned solving of outstanding issues would be a precedent that could in the long run affect the overall relations between the two countries and nations.

In view of that, we would like to point out once again Croatia’s willingness to continue solving all of the outstanding issues with Slovenia in a spirit of good-neighbourliness and co-operation, with a call for the Slovenian side to assume the same approach, avoiding potential incidents.