Croatia, Slovenia Continue Territorial Waters Dispute

Representatives of Croatia and Slovenia will meet again at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, PCA, in The Hague on Thursday to try and resolve their issues over maritime borders in the Piran Gulf, off the two neighbouring countries' coasts - a dispute that dates back to the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Although Croatia quit the arbitration process in July last year, it must again present its reasons for pulling out to the panel of judges at the PCA.

At the closed hearing, Slovenia will also present its case for continuing the process. A summary of the hearing will be offered to the public afterwards.

The Croatian parliament voted against the arbitration agreement with Slovenia at a special session last July, unanimously backing the stance of the country's government.

The vote obliges the government to start the process of leaving the arbitration agreement with Slovenia after media revelations of secret and unauthorised conversations between a judge at the PCA and the Slovene representative at the court.

A parliamentary statement adopted at the session said that Slovenia had "severely breached" the treaty and made it impossible for the arbitration to continue.

"The principles of fairness, legality, independence and credibility, were systematically and severely violated," the statement said.

Before the vote, Croatia's then Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic told lawmakers that the arbitration agreement had been "compromised" and so Zagreb had to pull out.

"The court may continue to work, but we won't recognise any of its decisions," Milanovic said.

Croatia decided to leave the arbitration process after daily newspaper Vecernji list published recordings of unauthorised phone conversations between Jernej Sekolec,...