Parliament adopts decision instructing Government to exit arbitration

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday unanimously obliged the Government to institute a procedure to exit the Arbitration Agreement on a border solution with Slovenia.

Slovenia has "severely violated" the provisions of the international agreement and the rules of participating in arbitration in good faith and that is why Croatia believes that the Arbitral Tribunal cannot fulfill its duty, the Croatian government said in its explanation sent to parliament ahead of an extraordinary session of Parliament.

"Croatia believes that the Arbitral Tribunal is not in a position to fulfill its duty as is expected from an independent and professional international court," the government's explanation said.

"Publicly disclosed conversations between a member of the Arbitral Tribunal appointed by Slovenia and Slovenia's agent to the tribunal, which have been confirmed as credible, reveal that the fundamental principles of the arbitration procedure, the principles of integrity, legality, independence and credibility, were systematically and severely violated to Croatia's detriment," the government continues in its explanation.

The rules and confidentiality of the procedure have been violated, the government says, which is why it has recommended its conclusion that parliament obliges it to "institute procedures to terminate the Arbitration Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia signed on 4 November 2009 which entered into force on 29 November 2010."

The decision required the support of two-thirds of MPs and the decision was given the nod by 141 MPs. (Hina)

Autor: Hina/Press Office