Left With Only An Anthem, Flag And Football Team

Opening the housing market between Croatia and Slovenia with the reciprocal system divided Croatian politicians, at least in opinions.

A few days ago, Croatia opened its housing market to Slovenia based on the reciprocal principle, which means that Croatians can buy houses in Slovenia, as well as Slovenians buying in Croatia.

With this, the principle of non discrimination has to be respected. This means that houses in Slovenia can be bought by any Croatian citizen, regardless of whether they live inside Croatia’s boundaries or outside them.

Bringing the new decisions about the liberalization of the housing market has divided Croatian politicians. Is this about the further sale of national silver, about a political decision, or a normal sequence of events as far as European integrations are concerned? HSLS’s Durda Adlesic, SDP’s Zoran Milanovic, HSP’s Tonci Tadic, IDS’s Damir Kajin and HSP’s Pero Kovacevic all tried to answer that question.

“There is no reciprocal principle here”

Durda Adlesic considers that there is no reciprocal principle in question.

- Real estate in Slovenia is more expensive, so in that sense we can not talk about any reciprocal principle – said HSLS’s president.

Adlešić considers that Slovenians will buy much more real estate in Croatia because those locations are more attractive than the Slovenian mountains.

- Slovenians have previously bought here with the permission of the ministry of foreign affairs, and have been for years now, on Krk and the south Adriatic – added Adlesic. She concluded that the government must quickly implement mechanisms to keep those buildings that are considered to be especially valuable and are marked as being a national treasure.

Implementing Croatian law

SDP’s Zoran Milanovic does not see a problem in all of this

- Since 1991, Croatia has enabled foreigners to buy real estate within its boundaries, and this is a question of implementing Croatian law. If real estate in Croatia has been bought by Germans, the British and French citizens, then I see no problem in Slovenians buying – said Milanovic.

Politically motivated government decision

Parliamentarian Tonci Tadic asks what will Croatia gain by this.

- This is the same situation as when Croatia gave in to Italy concerning the economic zone. So I am asking the cabinet a question: What will Croatia get in return? – said Tadic.

HSP’s Tadic thinks that a politically motivated approach by the cabinet is in question, which will try to solver the border dispute.

According to its thoughts, the agreement of stabilization and integrations states that Croatia did not have to accept the regulation until the 1^st February 2009, and that for this question nothing had to be undertaken for now.

“Slovenians will sell to Slovenians”

IDS’s Damir Kajin stated how that formulation does not mean anything spectacular for Croatia because registering a trade association, and gaining the status of a legal entity, has enabled them to by real estate in Croatia before.

- This reciprocal system only means that Slovenian citizens will sell real estate bought in Croatia unhindered, to other Slovenian citizens. However Croatia will not be deprived sovereignty on those locations, because whoever wants to sell real estate, will sell it – said Kajin.

Damin Kajin is more afraid of large privatizations, like the planned sale of HEP (a Croatian energy group), which he calls national betrayal.

- The only part of our sovereignty that will be left is our anthem, flag and football team – said Kajin.

That IDS member mentioned the sale of Dukat to Luka Rajic, for who it is said that he beats his breast for Croatia, and as soon as he gets a chance to profit, he does not worry about selling that Croatia for a huge profit.

Kajin compared Luka Rajic to Zagorec and stated that they both have similar biographies and that both of them started out as drivers who worked their way to higher positions by smuggling.

This is why, says Kajin, that we should accept Letica’s idea about placing Kuharic’s and Tudman’s bust in parliament, and it would be good to add, for example, Rojs.

What has to be done, needs to be done

HSP’s Pero Kovacevic thinks that Croatia has given in, and had to give in, to pressures of the European commission in order to become a member of the Union.