Slovenia wants application of just settlement

Slovenia wants to apply the principle of just settlement in the dispute with Croatia over the Gulf of Piran. On Tuesday in Rijeka, a Slovenian and Croatian commission met in order to adopt a special agreement to present their territorial dispute to an international arbitration committee. Slovenia wants application of just settlement The meeting was only the first in a series of meetings to come, after Slovenia's long-standing refusal to allow international arbiters to get involved in the conflict over the Gulf of Piran, as proposed by Croatia. Judging by yesterday’s meeting, the Slovenian and Croatian commission has come upon a new obstacle, because Croatia demands international arbiters to rule only on the basis of international law, whereas Slovenia also demands the application of the principle of just settlement. For Slovenia, the principle of just cause is important because it deems it important for the dispute to be resolved in a way acceptable to both sides. However, Croatia refuses to accept the Slovenian demands for the principle of just settlement, because it thinks just cause would be best achieved by application of international law. Yesterday’s meeting in Rijeka has already sparked discontent from the Slovenian opposition and the June 25 Institute. Slovenian MP Zmago Jelincic thinks “Croatia will bring Slovenia across the water thirsty,” and that Slovenia could end up being left without the half of the Gulf of Piran it possesses now—in other words, it could lose the whole gulf, so that “Croatia could stretch as far as Piran, while Slovenia would be left without Portoroz.” “Because of the content of Slovenia's basic arguments, the question is not whether Slovenia will be able to safeguard its territory and sea through judicial decisions, but how big a part of its territory and sea it will have to give up to Croatia,” the June 25 Institute believes, adding that not even the application of the principle of just settlement can give Slovenia a minimum of guarantees that it could maintain unhindered access to the sea.

Slovenia wants application of just settlement

The meeting was only the first in a series of meetings to come, after Slovenia's long-standing refusal to allow international arbiters to get involved in the conflict over the Gulf of Piran, as proposed by Croatia.

Judging by yesterday’s meeting, the Slovenian and Croatian commission has come upon a new obstacle, because Croatia demands international arbiters to rule only on the basis of international law, whereas Slovenia also demands the application of the principle of just settlement.

For Slovenia, the principle of just cause is important because it deems it important for the dispute to be resolved in a way acceptable to both sides. However, Croatia refuses to accept the Slovenian demands for the principle of just settlement, because it thinks just cause would be best achieved by application of international law.

Yesterday’s meeting in Rijeka has already sparked discontent from the Slovenian opposition and the June 25 Institute.

Slovenian MP Zmago Jelinčić thinks “Croatia will bring Slovenia across the water thirsty,” and that Slovenia could end up being left without the half of the Gulf of Piran it possesses now—in other words, it could lose the whole gulf, so that “Croatia could stretch as far as Piran, while Slovenia would be left without Portorož.”

“Because of the content of Slovenia's basic arguments, the question is not whether Slovenia will be able to safeguard its territory and sea through judicial decisions, but how big a part of its territory and sea it will have to give up to Croatia,” the June 25 Institute believes, adding that not even the application of the principle of just settlement can give Slovenia a minimum of guarantees that it could maintain unhindered access to the sea.