Europe News
EU set for crunch Slovenia-Croatia meeting, Balkan visa deal
Jun 12, 2009, 12:46 GMT
Brussels - The European Union is to host a crunch meeting between Slovenia and Croatia on Monday in a last-ditch effort to stop Slovenia blocking its Adriatic neighbour's EU accession talks over a border dispute, EU officials said Friday.
European Union foreign ministers are also tipped to approve visa-free travel for at least some of the states of the former Yugoslavia when they meet in Luxembourg on Monday.
The foreign ministers of Slovenia, an EU member, and Croatia are due to hold talks with EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn on the fringes of that meeting, EU officials said.
The talks come as a 'final push' to clear the way for a high-level meeting scheduled for June 26, which had been expected to sign off on many of Croatia's pre-accession reforms, officials said. If there is no agreement on Monday, those talks are unlikely to go ahead.
The Czech government, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, said when it took over the role in January that moving the Western Balkans closer to the EU was a key priority.
But Slovenia is blocking Croatia's progress in a row over the two countries' maritime border.
The border has never been officially defined, and Slovenia says that Croatia's claim of where the line lies would bar Slovene vessels from international waters.
Other EU member states have repeatedly urged Slovenia not to use a bilateral dispute to block enlargement, but so far without result.
Foreign ministers on Monday are also expected to give the political thumbs-up to visa-free travel for citizens of former-Yugoslav states which have met the EU's tough demands on security and transparency, and to task the EU's executive, the European Commission, with drawing up legal documents to that effect.
EU officials say that Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are the best prepared for such a step.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
...joined the EU in 2004 in exactly these borders in which it is. So, why should Croatia give land/sea away? The borders are defined by the Badinter commission in 1992 and there are several documents in the UN which state that Slovenia 'is a country with a disadvantage because it has no access to international waters'. So, it is bad luck for Slovenia, but mixing up bilateral problems between Croatia and Slovenia in the process of Croatia's aim to join the EU is nothing more than...blackmail.
Slovenia doesn't want to solve the 'problem' (actually there is no problem when it comes to Croatia) in front of an international court of law, why?
They don't want to unblock Croatia's negotiations to join the EU even Croatia is offering a fair compromise, to go to court, and still...Slovenia is blocking Croatia. It's not difficult to figure out what the wish of Slovenia is after all, they want to 'expand' their territory on behalf of another sovereign country (Croatia) and they are abusing their status (EU member) in achieving these goals.
Furthermore it will be interesting because Slovenia announced it will hold a referendum to 'forbid' Croatia's access to the EU, nothing more than another blackmail attempt.
European Union has a special harassment policy for anything Croatian.
The longer the delays, the better off Croatia is in the long run.
The EU will implode in the coming Global Debacle.
I am betting that many of the EU citizens that make temporary stays on the coast will turn into permanent guests, waiting out the turmoil that will consume the EU.
page: 1
Hunger for Croatia's Adriatic coast and landJun 12th, 2009 - 14:23:04
Hunger for Croatia's Adriatic coast and land is not fair. But Slovenia land grab crime is lower then we as a free people can prosses. The European Union is the most repulsive political creation in a long, long time. Nothing but a Socialist Organization of thieves, champagne-Socialists and general fascist scumbags. And the EU wonders why there is a growing anti-EU feel in Croatia.
Croatia will be transformed into the Puerto Rico of Southeastern Europe: an impoverished economic and political colony of Brussels, whose main purpose is to serve as a tourist destination for vacationing Europeans. Yet as the bulk of the Croatian people suffer, the former communist, as well as current leaders elites will prosper. They will continue the Titoist-style cronyism and rampant corruption that is stunting the country's development. They will make sure to siphon off large chunks of targeted EU subsidies and foreign aid which will enable them to preserve their fancy cars, apartments and privileged status.
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