Croatian PM Plenkovic calls on Slovenia to stop with blackmail

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic called on Slovenia on Thursday to stop with the policy of blackmail after it said yesterday that it would not support Croatia's membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec said on Wednesday that Slovenia would block Croatia's OECD membership because it "doesn't respect international law, the (border) arbitration agreement and abritral tribunals' decisions."

Addressing the cabinet, Plenkovic said Slovenia should stop blackmailing. "I call on Slovenia to support Croatia as a member of the EU in becoming a member of the OECD, to abandon such a policy. The policy of blackmail leads nowhere."

He reiterated that Croatia's position on the border dispute was clear. "It's an outstanding issue and Croatia is willing to discuss it bilaterally," he said, reiterating that a visit by Slovenian PM Miro Cerar to Croatia was being prepared.

Plenkovic said he was pleased with his two recent visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina and again commented on the opposition of Bosniak politicians to the construction of Peljesac Bridge. "Our message is perfectly clear: dialogue with Bosnia and Herzegovina, explanation of all international-legal and technical aspects, we are ready and open for dialogue."

He reiterated that the bridge would be built on Croatian territory and that it was a strategic project which would connect not only Croatian, but also European Union territory, and that it would reduce congestion during the summer in Neum, BiH. "We expect to find, through dialogue, the best modalities which will satisfy both Croatia and BiH."

Text: Hina

News