Slovenia threatened to block Croatia's path to EU accession

[Sisak]

Slovenia says it will block Croatia’s EU accession on 1 july 2013 unless Croatia stops its lawsuit against Ljubljanska Banka. In July, Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec told journalists in Brussels "It would suffice if the Croatian Minister of Finance withdrew the power of attorney for lawsuits against Ljubljanska Banka, which was issued in 1995 and in 2001." Now Slovenia’s parliamentary Foreign Policy committee has said it supports the stance and has said Croatia should not push ahead with EU membership until the issue has been resolved in line with international agreement.
http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/Ge...cession_Treaty
Over 130,000 Croatian citizens claim they had deposited over €160 million in a Slovenian bank – Ljubljanska Banka – before the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. But when the Slovenian bank went bankrupt in the 1990s, the money was transferred into the country’s national debt. Zagreb agreed, in 2010, to settle the issue through internationally brokered talks on Yugoslavia’s breakup. But recent negotiations have again failed to provide any major breakthroughs.
The issue of the Croatian government's powers of attorney with which Zagrebacka Banka and Privredna Banka will continue the lawsuit against Ljublanska Banka has nothing to do with the ratification of Croatia's Treaty of Accession with the European Union in the Slovenian Parliament, Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Vesna Pusic said in Brussels.
http://dalje.com/en-croatia/pusic-sa...h-ratif/440558

Slovenia's Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec said on the national television on Tuesday that Slovenia would not ratify Croatia's EU accession treaty until Zagreb withdraws a lawsuit concerning the Ljubljanska Bank.
Asked whether this would deteriorate relations with Croatia and whether another blockade to Croatia's accession to the EU was possible, Erjavec said that Slovenia was not the one that was blocking Croatia but it was Croatia that was doing the blocking.
http://dalje.com/en-world/fm--sloven...ps-suit/453416


http://dalje.com/en-world/erjavec-sa...-july-1/452993
Erjavec once again denied that Arhar and Rogic had reached an agreement under which Slovenia would pay Croatia EUR 278.7 million over 30 years for the unpaid foreign currency savings of Croatian citizens.

As for the Croatian citizens who did not transfer their foreign currency savings in Ljubljanska Banka's now defunct Zagreb branch into Croatia's public debt and who continue to demand to be reimbursed by the bank and Slovenia, Erjavec said Slovenia was not to blame for their difficulties.

Some could not transfer their savings into Croatia's public debt because they did not have Croatian citizenship and some did not want to transfer them into Croatian banks, he added.

[Alenka]

What is the general opinion, are most Croatians pro-EU?

[Sisak]

What is the general opinion, are most Croatians pro-EU?

General opinion is that your politicians are monkeys.

[Alenka]

General opinion is that your politicians are monkeys.

Most Slovenians agree with that

[Sisak]

Media: Will Croatia be more competitive than Slovenia?
http://dalje.com/en-world/media--wil...lovenia/454760
Once Croatia enters the European Union (EU), it could become more attractive to foreign investors than Slovenia where investments have stagnated over the past few years and totalled EUR 12 billion, which is a fear being recently reported in Slovenia's newspapers.

The theory that Slovenia could lose its attractive role as an investment "bridge" to the countries that emerged in the area of the former Yugoslavia, because it will no longer be the only EU member from the region, and that this role could pass on to Croatia was once again the topic of a commentary in the Finance business magazine.

The Maribor Vecer daily revived the subject on Monday in an article about an investment by the Swedish IKEA chain near Zagreb valued at EUR 100 million and another investment with which Ryanair will set up its 54th European base at the Zadar airport, an investment worth EUR 70 million.

The head of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, Samo Hribar Milic, told the daily that "Slovenia is not interesting to foreign investors" and that it was becoming uncompetitive. The daily says that investments were realised faster and more ambitiously in Croatia through incentives and a good level of cooperation between the government and local authorities which is what is sometimes missing in Slovenia.

In the years preceding the crisis, foreigners mostly invested in the finance sector and service industries such as retail, while greenfield investments in production were much fewer.

The incumbent government in Slovenia believes that foreign investments and European funds will be the only accessible investment capital available in the coming years. The government hence intends to reduce corporate taxes and has announced the sale of some state assets such as Telekom Slovenia, Petrol and some banks, in an effort to attract foreign investments.

Another obstacle to investments is the inflexible labour market and high salaries in the country compared to other countries in the region. Janez Jansa's government has said that it intends to deal with this problem by liberalising the labour market.

[Permafrost]

Yes, we are blocking your EU accession because we want only the best for you, and EU is not the best! Trust us. You are better off now.

This is nothing more than brotherly love toward Croats, so cheer up.

[Insuperable]

Yes, we are blocking your EU accession because we want only the best for you, and EU is not the best! Trust us. You are better off now.

This is nothing more than brotherly love toward Croats, so cheer up.

Hahahahahahha

[archangel]

eu is a declining union so it would be a wise decision to not enter it

[Alenka]

Hahahahahahha

I'd laugh too, but I'm busy crying. Seriously, the current situation of the EU is rather tragic, especially for the countries of the periphery (which for sure includes Slovenia, and will include you too, once/if you enter).

Wish I could say we're better of in the EU, but I don't think it's the case.

[Žołnir]

However most of the world is in economic crisis not just EU and ppl still imigrate in EU not out. Personally i believe its good there is crisis. I would make it even worse. I know this is cruel but there are some reasons i think in this way.

As for blocade it was expected. Ofc. each state wants to get upper hand, this is worldwide practice not just here. What will happen personally i don't care.