Arbitration agreement heading toward referendum

We believe that this is such an important issue that we should discuss it before reaching a parliamentary decision

Slovenian prime minister Borut Pahor's endorsed on Saturday convening of the referendum in which the Slovenian voters even before the parliamentary ratification procedure would vote on the arbitration Accord previously signed with the Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.

- We believe that this is such an important issue to talk about it before making a decision in parliament to ask for the opinion of our people, then their opinion should be respected - Pahor told reporters on Saturday in Velenje, during a meeting of the leadership of the Social Democrats (SD) , the largest party in the ruling coalition. Pahor said that his opinion regarding this issue corresponds with the opinion of president Danilo Tuerk who brought the very idea on the consultative, advisory referendum before the arbitration proceedings on Friday.

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- The President and I believe that a referendum could be useful because it would give a legitimacy to the Parliament's decision - Pahor said, reiterating that for now, public opinion and political opinion is divided on the arbitration agreement. Arbitration Accord is an important aspect of the interests of the state, said Pahor.

Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk on Friday declared that prior to the Accord ratification he advocates a consultative referendum, and even a broad public debate on the issue , and that he would be willing to mediate between the government, which supports the Accord and opposition, which refuses it.

The Accord is, according to the Tuerk's opinion generally good, and despite the risks Slovenia can get "junction" with the open sea. Tuerk said that the junction in the English, crucial text means a "connection, in other terms, territorial contact.

Public opinion research, published on Saturday by Ljubljana newspaper "Delo" states that the arbitration Accord in a referendum would be supported by a greater majority, but merely 40 percent of voters would respond to a referendum, the ones that believe that the present arbitrage Accord will not do any good in improvement in relations with the Croatia.