Yesterday, at a working meeting, Slovenian politicians reviewed the preparations for the implementation of the arbitration ruling regarding the Croatia border dispute, and expressed support for the activities of the government in this context, stating that things are heading in the right direction.
The deadline for the agreement on the implementation of the arbitration decision expires on Friday, December 29. According to local media, Slovenia will begin implementing the arbitration ruling on its own without Croatia on Saturday, December 30. The new border as well as related laws that the government has been preparing for since the summer will then become valid.
Prime Minister Miro Cerar said that this is an international obligation and is not a matter of choice, and thus the arbitration decision has to be executed. He also added that Slovenia would strictly follow the rules of international, European and national law which were harmonized in order to implement the ruling, and does not aim to incite any incidents. Cerar added that Croatia is expected to do the same.
Moreover, after the meeting, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Karl Erjavec, said that any breaking of the arbitration ruling by Croatia would violate international and EU law, and such actions would be legal facts on which a complaint could be lodged in the future.
Erjavec also stated that according to EU law Slovenia alone, or together with the European Commission, can lodge a lawsuit against Croatia for violating the provisions of the arbitration ruling. Depending on the length of the consultation procedures with the European Commission before the lawsuit is filed, this action could take place in spring 2018.
