Croatian parliament ratifies Slovenia border deal
(ZAGREB) - The Croatian parliament ratified on Friday a deal with Slovenia for international arbitration to resolve a border row between the two countries that blocked Zagreb's bid to join the European Union.
"Today we are concluding a major and important task, I believe that history will prove it," Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor told the lawmakers before the vote.
"The border dispute will be resolved according to international law ... before an international judicial body.
"If we do not back this agreement no future generation of politicians will be able to negotiate something better and more favorable for Croatia," she stressed.
A total of 129 deputies of those present in the 153-seat assembly backed the agreement. Six voted against it.
The deal was signed by Kosor and her Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor earlier this month in Sweden, current holder of the EU rotating presidency.
The Slovenian government plans to hold an advisory referendum on the agreement before sending it for ratification by parliament, which is expected to take place within the next few months.
The agreement will create an arbitration tribunal tasked with finding a solution to the dispute over a small piece of land and sea. The row has been going on since 1991 when both countries proclaimed independence from the then Yugoslavia.
The tribunal's ruling will be binding for both countries.
Most opposition deputies backed the deal after Kosor assured that criteria to appoint the tribunal's members would be based on "professionalism, impartiality and independence."
"Consultations (over nomination of arbitrators) will be led with both Croatia and Slovenia in a transparent way," she emphasized.
Ljubljana hopes the deal will secure it access to international shipping waters.
On the other hand, Slovenia, an EU member since 2004, must refrain from blocking Croatia's accession talks to join the bloc and has agreed that arbitration will only begin after Zagreb successfully concludes them.
Croatia resumed its EU membership talks in October after Slovenia ended a 10-month block of the negotiations because of the border dispute.
Croatia is hoping to become EU's 28th member by 2011.
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