PM Plenkovic: Croatia is the one calling for dialogue the whole time

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday that it would fair for Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar to stick by their agreement and come to Zagreb for talks on the disputed border arbitration, which were cancelled in late September after Plenkovic criticised Slovenia for disrespecting international law in an address at the UN Security Council.

"I believe that it would be fair for Mr Cerar to visit Zagreb because that is what we agreed. I visited Ljubljana right at the start of the summer and we agreed that he would visit Zagreb, which was also the purpose of the letter I have sent him," Plenkovic told reporters in Brussels.

"Croatia is the one calling for dialogue the whole time," said the PM, who was attending a two-day summit of EU leaders.

Cerar cancelled the previously arranged meeting with Plenkovic in Zagreb after in his speech at the UN, Plenkovic once again rejected the arbitration ruling in the two countries' border dispute and accused Ljubljana of violating international law.

Croatia is not recognising the border ruling of an ad hoc international arbitral tribunal because Slovenian officials unlawfully communicated with its judges and inserted documents based on which The Hague-based tribunal made its ruling two months ago.

Slovenia, on the other hand, insists on the implementation of the arbitration ruling and refuses Zagreb's offer to resolve the dispute anew, through bilateral talks.

Ahead of the EU summit, Plenkovic met with European People's Party head Joseph Daul. He was expected to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker later in the day as well.

Plenkovic said he would discuss with Juncker issues of vital importance for Croatia, such as the continuation of the Peljesac Bridge project and relations with Slovenia.

The EU summit, to begin this afternoon, will focus on migrations, digital agenda, foreign policy issues and a leaders' agenda, prepared by European Council President Donald Tusk and containing a list of priorities of the European Council in the period until mid-2019.

Text: Hina
Photo: EPP

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