Half Slovenes Oppose Croatian NATO Accession

Marjan Podobnik predicts that referendum results might show half of Slovenes oppose Croatian NATO accession.

Croatia is making a big mistake concerning the Sea issue, while statements of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic about Slovenia not needing an exit to the Adriatic Sea just increase the non inclination of Slovene citizens towards Croatia – Marjan Podobnik, president of the “June 25 Institute” told Javno news site.

The Institute has raised 2,500 signatures of Slovene citizens who would like to take a referendum on the ratification of Croatian NATO accession protocol. Podobnik announces that the request would be submitted to the State Assembly if Slovenia`s foreign policy towards Croatia does not change by Monday at 16 hours.

They demand that Slovenia does not acknowledge a single Croatian document from 1991 which prejudices the border with Slovenia.

The disputable areas, according to Podobnik, are the Piran Bay and the aquatorium, which should give Slovenia an exit to the open sea, 113 acres of land on the left bank of Dragonja and the border on Mura River. Still, there are priorities: “The aquatorium is the most significant”, Podobnik said.

Also, Podobnik is optimistic as far as the outcome of the referendum goes. He bases his optimism on survey findings in Slovenia. Although some polls showed that most Slovenes oppose the referendum, latest official survey results state the people are equally divided concerning the decision on the ratification of the agreement.

- If a referendum was issued out today, some would vote for, while 50 percent would vote against. There is 15 percent of those on the fence – Podobnik told us.

After the Institute submits the signatures, a deadline of 40 days remains, during which additional 40,000 signatures must be raised for the referendum to be carried out. Even if 40,000 signatures are not raised by that time, their intention of slowing down the ratification of Croatia`s NATO accession protocol would be a success, because the ratification cannot be conducted until the referendum process in over.