Croatia to Launch Proceedings Against Slovenia with European Commission

Croatia’s border dispute with Slovenia over the wire fence is heading to the European Commission.

“The wire fence along the Croatian-Slovenian border represents an insurmountable obstacle for the migration of wild animals and thus Slovenia is violating European legislation on the conservation of natural habitats and the environment”, warned on Thursday the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić. In a letter to European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, the Minister urged the European Commission to comply with its duties as “guardian of treaties” and take immediate measures, reports Index.hr and RTL on December 18, 2015.

“We had to make this decision because there are some irregularities and we had to react. That is all”, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović said yesterday in Brussels.

With putting up the fence in the area of ​​Gorski Kotar and Istria, Slovenia “is in clear breach of the directive on the conservation of natural habitats”, the letter states. Slovenia has so far set up 140 kilometres of fence along its border with Croatia. Zagreb has acted cautiously avoiding incidents and has express its “concern” in five diplomatic notes sent to Slovenia in the last five weeks. However, despite some of the highest Slovenian officials saying that other measures to control the borders would be applied, that did not happen, Pusić wrote. Hoping that Slovenia will respond to widespread criticism in recent days from both Slovenia and Croatia, Pusić concluded that Croatia “expects assistance from the European Commission”.

Despite protests by Slovenian public and experts, Slovenian and Croatian non-governmental organizations and the local population on both sides of the border, Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar claims that the fence is being built in order to prevent the uncontrolled passage of refugees through the green border. Speaking yesterday in Brussels, he said that he understood the concern of local authorities in Istria due to the fence, but that it still cannot be removed because he has information that Croatia might direct migrants through Istria to Italy.

“I understand the concern and discomfort of the local authorities and population in Istria and at other points along the border”, said Cerar. “But, a while ago I received explicit information that the Croatian side could start sending refugees in large groups through Istria to Italy”, said Cerar to journalists in Brussels. He did not explain where he got that information, but added that it should be taken seriously.

From midnight to 9 pm on Thursday, 3,192 refugees entered Croatia. There were 1,060 people accommodated at the temporary reception centre in Slavonski Brod. Since the beginning of the migration crisis, 512,591 migrants and refugees have passed through Croatia.

 

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