Croatian PM Says Problem with Slovenia's Veto on Croatia's EU Accession Talks To be Resolved - Media

Slovenia has said that during Friday's round of talks on the EU accession of its neighbour Croatia it will agree to the opening of one and the closure of three policy chapters by Croatia but will express reservations about the remaining seven chapters because it believes the documents that Croatia has submitted might prejudge border issues. The two former Yugoslav republics have disputes over their sea border.

“I want to tell the Croatian public that there is no reason for panic and that we are going to solve the problem with Slovenia's blocking the Croatian EU accession talks,” Banka Magazine quoted Sanader as saying.

Croatia, in none of the documents it has submitted, wishes to prejudge border issues with Slovenia, Sanader also said. He, however, added, that Croatia will not accept from someone else a ban on the documents that the country uses in international arbitration processes.

Croatia, which started accession talks in 2005, hopes to join the EU around 2011. Slovenia is the only ex-Yugoslav republic which has joined the EU so far. It entered the bloc in 2004.