STA, 3 April 2018 - Slovenian jurists have called on Croatia to respect European law and to implement the Slovenian-Croatian border arbitration decision. In a public letter they said that continued incidents and harsh political rhetoric have a very adverse impact on the neighbourly relations.
In the letter, dated 2 April 2018, the Association of Slovenian Law Societies (ZDPS) and the Association of Slovenian Corporate Law Societies (ZDGPS) called on Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and parliamentary Speaker Gordan Jandroković to "ensure the respect of core EU values" in accordance with the Treaty on European Union.
The jurists, including Lojze Ude, the head of the ZDPS, and Darja Senčur Peček, the head of the ZDGPS, urged Croatia to adhere to "the principle of loyal cooperation upon which the EU and member states are obliged to mutual respect and to help each other in implementing tasks" stemming from EU agreements.
They stressed that the arbitration award was final and legally binding and called on the neighbouring country to stop violating the arbitration agreement and the award.
Moreover, the arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that the talks between the Slovenian arbiter and agent, which led to Croatia's rejection of the arbitration, had not been serious enough for the tribunal not to be able to continue its work and deliver the final award.
The jurists expressed concern over "the continued incidents, particularly in the Bay of Piran, and the harsh political rhetoric, which have a very negative impact on neighbourly relations, and diplomatic, economic, administrative, police, judicial and cultural cooperation".
The letter has been signed by several acclaimed jurists, including international law professor Vasilka Sancin, and former Constitutional Court judges Ciril Ribičič and Ernest Petrič.
