Croatia Drafts Blue Paper Against Slovenia

Political leaders were presented with a blue paper, a collection of evidence for Croatia to use at an international court with Slovenia.

Experts on maritime law and border issues yesterday presented a blue paper, documents on the Croatia-Slovene border, to Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and their associates. 

The blue paper is in fact a response to last year’s Slovenia’s issuing of a white paper, but with a key difference. Its intention is to provide grounds for an expert discussion and appearance before an international tribunal, while the Slovene white paper was only intended for the Slovene public, Vecernji list writes.

Proof of sovereignty 

Moreover, the Croatian version of the paper includes historical and legal documents that irrefutably prove Croatian territorial sovereignty.

The Croatian government does not want to officially comment statements made by Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel who urged fellow citizens to boycott Croatian summer resorts, or the vandalised car of the Croatian embassy in Slovenia.

Rupel’s personal stance 

-- I appreciate the fact that Slovene Premier Janez Jansa showed restraint and did not support stances that we cannot accept – Sanader said, adding that he had no intention of responding to Riupel’s radical ideas, since they were obviously his personal views.

But, according to a Croatian diplomatic source, Slovenia’s goal is to present Croatia to Brussels as an non-credible partner, a trap in which we do not want to fall.