Zmago: Maps Drawn by Communists, Not Experts

Podobnik considers that the maps have a minimal weight, and Rudolf reminds that the land borders were drawn with the collapse of Yugoslavia.

The Slovenian geodetic institute published a map in 1983 that determined the borders with Croatia. It can clearly be seen that the left bank of the Mura River belongs to the Socialist Republic of Croatia.

The Slovenian media call the maps disputed, and the president of the Slovenian nationalists, Zmago Jelincic, claims that they are a product of political factors.

“The maps were not drawn by experts, but communists who pushed their ideas” said Zmago Jelincic for Javno.com.

He added that an intervention is needed by the international conference on Yugoslavia, and that Slovenia needs to be returned the territory that it entered Yugoslavia with.

Podobnik surprised at the weight given to the map

On land, the border was not determined ethnically or in any other way, but was inherited

Davorin Rudolf

Besides that, Jelincic repeated that he does not support Croatia’s entry into NATO, or its accession to the European Union.

“People in Slovenia are against the entry of Croatia into NATO, but there will be no referendum because there is too little time to carry out everything as needed” says Jelincic.

The president of the non-parliamentary party “Zavod 25 Junij” (25th June Association), Marjan Podobnik, told us that he was surprised at the weight given to the maps.

“I think that they have minimal weight to be able to negate all other arguments” said Podobnik for Javno.com.

“It is good to take all documents into consideration with the border issue, but I think that the maps will not have any great influence” concluded Podobnik.

The academic Davorin Rudolf, the president of the Croatian part of the committee for the border, explains that in 1991 after declaring independence, the Croatian and Slovenian parliaments accepted a declaration in which they state that they recognize the inherited borders after the collapse of Yugoslavia.

“Experts spent years determining the border, and 664 kilometres or border areas were determined. Six kilometres remains undetermined, near the Dragonja River. On land, the border was not determined ethnically or in any other way, but was inherited” said Davorin Rudolf for Javno.com.

He added that a different situation is in question at sea, because there is no inter-state border.

Border issue can only be solved by international court

“Until the border is determined, the region was split with a line between both countries. Neither side are allowed to cross the line” says Rudolf.

He explains that the region was divided with a line in the middle of the sea out of practical reasons.

“For example, if two tankers collide in the Savudrija Bay, we need to know which side will intervene” said Rudolf.

He added that the border issue can only be solved by the international court.

“If fifty countries can solve their border disputes at the international court, why would not we” concluded Rudolf.