"Lawsuits no obstacle for EU association"

Olli Rehn says the countersuits filed by western Balkan countries to the international judiciary should not be an obstacle for their association with the EU. The EU enlargement commissioner said in Brussels on Sunday that bilateral relations should be resolved between the countries in question, Beta news agency reports. "Lawsuits no obstacle for EU association" He underlined that it refers to the dispute between Croatia and Slovenia (which is an EU member), as well as to the suits filed to the International Court of Justice by Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia against each other for the events which took place during the war conflicts in the 1990s, and to the UN request to the same court for the assessment of the legality of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo. In an interview to Brussels-based internet bulletin EurActiv, Rehn stressed that "countries are entitled to address the International Court of Justice, as in the previous case of Bosnia's suit against Serbia." "However, a process of reconciliation is necessary in those societies and between the regional societies, which demands much more thorough consideration and leaving the past behind," it was pointed out by the commissioner, who is in charge of the EU enlargement policy. "I would say," Rehn underlined, "that not only the court cases, but political cooperation as well needs to be realized between the leaders and nations of those countries in order to achieve true reconciliation." Rehn also put forward the European Commission's stand that the 17-year old border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia has to be resolved between themselves, and that "it must not disturb Croatia's negotiations regarding EU membership." Rehn concluded that the negotiations on association and membership in the EU "have to be finished when every individual case deserves it, in a spirit of good neighborly relations, and the EU must not be involved in every single bilateral dispute in the region."

"Lawsuits no obstacle for EU association"

He underlined that it refers to the dispute between Croatia and Slovenia (which is an EU member), as well as to the suits filed to the International Court of Justice by Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia against each other for the events which took place during the war conflicts in the 1990s, and to the UN request to the same court for the assessment of the legality of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo.

In an interview to Brussels-based internet bulletin EurActiv, Rehn stressed that "countries are entitled to address the International Court of Justice, as in the previous case of Bosnia's suit against Serbia."

"However, a process of reconciliation is necessary in those societies and between the regional societies, which demands much more thorough consideration and leaving the past behind," it was pointed out by the commissioner, who is in charge of the EU enlargement policy.

"I would say," Rehn underlined, "that not only the court cases, but political cooperation as well needs to be realized between the leaders and nations of those countries in order to achieve true reconciliation."

Rehn also put forward the European Commission's stand that the 17-year old border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia has to be resolved between themselves, and that "it must not disturb Croatia's negotiations regarding EU membership."

Rehn concluded that the negotiations on association and membership in the EU "have to be finished when every individual case deserves it, in a spirit of good neighborly relations, and the EU must not be involved in every single bilateral dispute in the region."