If Negotiations Fail, Idea of Europe Fails Too - Current Events - Croatia

Croatia’s prime minister said that Croatia will not give up a centimetre of its territory for the continuation of negotiations with the EU.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – If Croatia’s negotiations with the EU fail, the idea of a united Europe fails as well, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said on Wednesday, commenting the latest cancellation of the accession conference because of Slovenia’s blockade of Croatia’s negotiations.

The Czech presidency of the European Union on Wednesday decided to cancel the accession conference with Croatia, planned for this Friday, because due to the Slovene blockade, Croatia cannot open or close any chapter of negotiations.

Swoboda Confirms: Europe Has Given Up on Croatia

The European Union has called off a round of accession talks with Croatia scheduled for Friday after the failure to resolve a border row with EU member Slovenia, a source in the Czech EU presidency said. The move was expected after a six-month European Commission mediation bid to resolve the land and sea border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia collapsed last week. Slovenia, an EU member, has blocked Croatia's entry talks, arguing they are prejudicial to the outcome of the dispute. Sweden, which takes over the EU presidency in July, said this week it plans no fresh attempt to help settle the row, which the EU sees as a bilateral issue. It said it was time for a "period of reflection" in both countries.

A united Europe and European associations are based on values advocated by Croatia, which, unfortunately, Slovenia is denying to its detriment, that is, with its behaviour towards Croatia is bringing into question, Sanader said, adding that those values are cooperation, international law and the principle of solidarity.

‘If the EU gives up on Croatia, it is giving up on a united Europe’

- If Slovenia continues blackmailing Croatia, and we heard new blackmail yesterday, saying that we have to accept some agreement that Croatia has rejected long ago, then we can ask the question why Slovenia has not accepted the agreement that was placed last on the table and which the Croatian parliament adopted – Sanader said.

He stressed that Croatia’s suggestion was that the border issue be separated from the negotiations, as was in the case of Slovenia’s entry into the European Union.

- I ask for nothing more from the gentlemen in Slovenia’s leadership than to apply the same principle that was applied to Slovenia, which is that there is an open issue which nobody is denying and that Slovenia unblock Croatia’s accession negotiations with the EU and allow Croatia to finish its part of the job and once Croatia is in the EU, we will solve the border issue – the prime minister said.

Asked if the Swedish presidency over the EU has given up from the Slovenian-Croatian dispute, he said nobody has given up on anything.

Euro-scepticism could increase in Croatia

- If anybody gives up on this, they have given up on a united Europe – Sanader said, adding that Europe stands a chance only if it is based on the principles of its founders.

He reiterated that Croatia will not give up “one centimetre of its territory” to continue negotiations and membership in the EU.

The Croatian prime minister assessed that the recent events could affect the increase of Euro-scepticism in Croatia and Europe as well as European associations as a whole.