The European Parliament member asked EU Agriculture Commissioner to, before a final decision is made, form a team of international experts which will provide the EC with a solution to the problem acceptable to all sides
Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) representative in the European Parliament Ivan Jakovčić has sent a letter to the European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan regarding the recent statements of Slovenian agriculture Minister regarding the dispute over Terrano wine, demanding that, before a final decision is made, he forms a team of international experts which will provide the EC with a solution to the problem acceptable to all sides, Agrobiz.hr wrote on September 8, 2016.
In the letter Jakovčić remindes Commissioner Hogan of the documentation, deliver earlier to the EC, confirming Terrano has been grown for centuries in the Croatian Istria. Croatia has suffered damages when Slovenia in 2004 protected Terrano as its indigenous wine and prohibited Istrian producers from marketing the Terrano wine under that name. He warned that Croatia will, if no satisfactory solution is found, sue the European Commission.
“It is incredible how many lies have been said about Terrano. It is an Istrian wine. Produced for centuries in Istria and our friends in Slovenia and the EC know this well. However, if the political games dominate, I announce we will fully defend the interests of Terrano producers and consumers. We will not allow the redefinition of our history and tradition. We will not allow all the good associated with Terrano, after all the arguments made, to be simply erased by a Bruxelles clerk. I expect reason to prevail. So I call on our friend in Slovenia to cease the current politics around Terrano. I invite them to sit around a table and, if we cannot come to an agreement, include eminent wine experts from the EU. I suggest we come to a joint decision on the future of Terrano,” Jakovčić said.
Slovenian Agriculture Minister Dejan Židan recently stated a group of EU members, including France, Spain, Italy, Austria and Hungary, support the position of Slovenia that the Terrano name is protected in the EU and pertains to a Refošk sort grown in Kras region. According to the Slovenian minister, for a wine to be called Terrano it needs to be grown in the Kras plateau and the name cannot be used for wines from Istria.
On Friday, Židan called on Croatia to verify if wine labelled Terrano from Croatian producers is sold on the Croatian market. There was a three-year grace period until June 30 of 2016 in which old stock of Terrano-labelled Croatian wine was allowed to be on the market.
“If Croatia does not act in accordance with EU law, we will call on the European Commission to take necessary measures,” said Židan, adding this is not a political game but a necessity to respect law and order. Slovenian media reported Slovenia will aggravate her stance towards Croatia on this matter.
The Croatian Agriculture Ministry recently reacted to his statements, noting Židan’s evaluation as unfounded.
