Slovenia and Croatia in diplomatic war over border

Slovenia and Croatia in diplomatic war over border

"Croatia wants to establish...the border in a unilateral act, which is unacceptable," Rupel said in the letter to EU officials.

Tensions went up Wednesday, following a series of arrests of Slovenian reporters visiting the village Hotiza, in an area along the river Mura that both countries consider their own.

The arrests were an "unacceptable, un-European act," Rupel said Wednesday night. The incident marked a "breaking point" in the relations of the two westernmost former Yugoslav republics, he added.

Croatia's Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic described Rupel's statement as "undiplomatic."

Meanwhile, police commandos from the two countries continued staring each others down at Hotiza.

The problem surfaced in 1993, two years after Croatia and Slovenia gained independence. Slovenia disputes Croatian land registries and claims the land on the left bank of Mura.

Recently Slovenian police prevented Croat construction workers from building an embankment in the area - it eventually was put up in a joint effort, following talks of the two countries' premiers.

Zagreb and Ljubljana also contest the maritime border in the bay of Piran, in the northeastern corner of the Adriatic Sea.