ZAGREB, June 11, 2018 – The European Commission would neither confirm nor deny on Monday that it would reply to a Slovenian letter about the Croatian-Slovenian border arbitration, the deadline for which expires on Saturday.
Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas answered in the negative when asked by the press in Brussels if a reply would be on the agenda of the Commission’s meeting in Strasbourg on Tuesday. Asked if that meant the Commission would not reply to the Slovenian letter, he said that it did not and that the Commission could reply in writing. Asked if that meant the Commission would reply, Schinas again said no. We are in contact with both governments and when we make a decision, you will be the first to know, he said.
Slovenia on March 16 submitted a letter to the Commission, proposing a lawsuit against Croatia over its failure to comply with a border arbitration ruling, contending that Croatia was in breach of the EU law.
Before one member state can instigate proceedings against another, it must first put a proposal to the Commission, which has three months to reply. The Commission can accept the proposal, in which case it takes over the lawsuit. If it rejects the proposal or does not reply, the member state can file the suit at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Croatia refuted Slovenia’s complaints in a letter to the Commission on April 17.
