Slovenes Caught In A Web Intended For Croats

Most Croatian MPs are not concerned with Slovenia`s decision to postpone the ratification of Croatian NATO accession.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Croatian MPs are not concerned with yesterday`s sketch at the Slovene Parliament. Because of Janez Jansa party`s (Slovene Democratic Party) decision not to take part in the vote on accepting the protocol for Croatian and Albanian NATO accession, the Slovene Parliament ended its sitting and will discuss Croatian NATO accession in mid-February, which might jeopardise Croatian schedule of accession due in April.

Former Croatian defence minister, Social Democrat Zeljka Antunovic believes that this meant Jansa was setting up current Slovene Prime Minister Borut Pahor.

- They did not disagree over the support of Croatia for NATO accession, but on some sort of political raqueteering within Slovenia. I don`t see serious indications that this will be long lasting. Current PM Borut Pahor and former PM Janez Jansa will have to agree. The dispute is over not passing the financial report that refers to Janez Jansa`s term. Where is the way out I wouldn`t go that far into their options of agreement. Slovenia has no interest in NATO or European Union structures objecting to it. I would simply say that Slovenes are caught in their own web, which they wanted to set up for us. As far as our European Union accession is concerned. Rapporteur of the European Parliament for Croatia Hannes Swoboda visited Zagreb today and repeated that he expects the end of negotiations by the end of 2009 – Zeljka Antunovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) believes.

Vesna Pusic of the Croatian People`s Party (HNS) agreed with her:

- I believe that lack of agreement between the position and the opposition in Slovenia is in question, which unfortunately abrupts the relations of out two countries in an already delicate situation – said the head of the Croatian Parliamentary committee for monitoring European Union accession.

- This cannot stop Croatia`s NATO accession, because this is a question of strategic and security interest for the region, therefore Slovenia as well – Pusic added.

- This is a vicious circle, as far as they are concerned… Big fish decide on NATO, not Slovenia or Croatia. When will we access NATO? I don`t know, but this will surely be solved one day – Furio Radin, Italian national minority representative, concluded.