The European Commission said it would keep a neutral position over Slovenia’s decision to refer Croatia to the Court of Justice of the European Union over its disrespect for a court ruling on their sea border.
The European Commission will remain neutral and will not join Slovenia in its announced lawsuit against Croatia before the Court of Justice of the European Union, Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said in Brussels on Monday.
“The Commission will continue to act as an honest mediator in finding a friendly solution, and we stand with a view that the solution should be found in talks of those two member states,” Schinas said.
Slovenia submitted a letter of complaint against neighbouring Croatia to the European Commission on March 16, after Croatia refused to implement an arbitration decision on their border dispute in the Adriatic Sea.
Slovenia accused Croatia of violating the EU Common Fisheries Policy by sending police escorts to guard fishermen in the contested waters and preventing Slovenian inspectors from boarding their vessels.
As BIRN reported, the letter submitted by Slovenia contained 100 pages of alleged violations of European law that Slovenia says stem from Croatia’s refusal to abide by the arbitration court’s ruling.
According to procedure, before an EU member state initiates court proceedings against another member, it must first refer the matter to the Commission.
The Commission then has three months to respond. There were three options: The Commission could support Slovenia and take over the lawsuit; it could support Croatia; or it could remain neutral.
Slovenia’s Prime Minister, Miro Cerar, wrote on Twitter on Monday that his country would decide on Thursday, June 21, whether it would sue Croatia on its own before the EU Court of Justice.
“I am very worried about @EU_Commission, this is a dangerous precedent for the future of the #EU. Obviously, political decisions overruled legal arguments,” Cerar wrote in another tweet.
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