Pusic says any conferring on border arbitration unacceptable to Croatia

Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic said on Wednesday that any conferring between a judge on the arbitration panel deciding on the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute with a representative of the Slovenian government would be unacceptable and Croatia would ask that this be looked into.

If it is confirmed that there have been contacts between one judge and Slovenia's representative, "this drastically changes the whole situation. It's shocking and unacceptable to Croatia," Pusic told an extraordinary press conference, saying Croatia "will examine, within its power, if the claims being made in the media are true or false."

Vecernji List daily said on Wednesday that it was in possession of transcripts showing that the Slovenian judge on the arbitration panel has been agreeing his steps with a Slovenian government official. According to the daily, the arbitral tribunal will award Slovenia a larger part of Piran Bay.

Pusic recalled that arbitration judges must act impartially and independently. "We have entered the procedure trusting international legal institutions...and in good faith" she said.

She once again underscored that the fundamental values of judges in the arbitration procedure was impartiality and independence.

Any kind of lobbying absolutely cannot be tolerated, Pusic told reporters who insinuated that Croatia should have influenced the tribunal.

"Lobbying is absolutely and most strictly forbidden and Croatia has in no way violated the arbitration procedure, Pusic told reporters who asked what did Croatia do to lobby for a favourable solution.

At the news conference called after Vecernji List announced it had transcripts showing that a Slovenian judge on the arbitration panel deciding on the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute colluded with the Slovenian government about the steps he was to take and that the arbitration tribunal would grant a greater part of Piran Bay to Slovenia, Pusic announced what Croatia planned to do.

Croatia will do everything it can to look into those allegations, she said.

Asked if the entire procedure would be brought into question should those media allegations prove to be true, Pusic said: "Let's take one step at a time."

"We have to do absolutely everything in our power to check the authenticity of these allegations," Pusic told the press. There are mechanisms for that, however they are limited, Pusic said.

"We will notify the arbitration tribunal and the European Commission which played an important role in reaching the arbitration agreement, Pusic said.

She added she had not contacted her Slovenian counterpart Karl Erjavec who said this spring that the outcome of the arbitration procedure would be favourable for Slovenia, because these allegations are about the work of the arbitration tribunal.

(Text: Hina)

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