Five Countries Block Croatia for Hague Cooperation

Belgium, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Finland and Denmark consider that Croatia has failed in its cooperation with The Hague.

At a meeting of the representatives of EU nations, Slovenia blocked another chapter in Croatia’s accession to the EU. Jutarnji List reveals that after this, another five countries decided to put their own blockade on Croatia.

Whilst Slovenia did not give the red light for closing the sixth negotiations chapter that relates to the rights of trade organizations, Belgium, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Finland and Denmark consider that Croatia has not been fully cooperating with The Hague. Despite a positive evaluation by the European Commission last year, that stated that Croatia has fulfilled all conditions for closing this chapter, five countries concluded that this is not enough and have blocked that chapter, and that is how it will remain until the next evaluation by the chief Hague prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

This blockade does not allow Croatia to open the 23rd chapter, the chapter of justice and fundamental rights, which Denmark and Finland decided to especially support the blockade. The diplomats of those countries told Jutarnji List that this does not have anything to do with the Slovenian blockade, because cooperation with the Hague court is a criteria and condition for negotiations with the EU, whilst bilateral questions are not and should not be. Also, diplomats said that they do not agree with the Slovenian blockade of ten chapters exclusively for bilateral issues, because they consider that it is not “material” that should be on the table during the negotiations.