Der Standard: Balkan borders the main problem
The dispute between Slovenia and Croatia involving the border is no exception, it's a rule, the Vienna-based newspaper "Der Standard" comments Tuesday, noting that Zagreb is also in dispute with Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina due to territorial issues.
- Hoping that the affected countries will find a solution on their own, Brussels thus far has put the border issues aside. Slovenia's veto on the resumption of the Croatian membership talks with EU has showed to the European diplomats that finding settlements over the border disputes is an European responsibility, reads the daily.
According to "Der Standard". the Zagreb-Ljubljana row over about 150 km2 in the Bay of Piran is putting into question the entire EU plan for 2009.
- The verbal war waged between the Slovenian and Croatian politicians is already causing serious consequences amongst the populations, says "Der Standard".
The border dispute becomes even more complex, adds the daily, if over 145km along the border of Danube river are taken into consideration, which were previously considered as a natural border.
The border in question in Croatian maps passes through Serbian villages, fields and in the middle of a hospital for children with disabilities.
The newspaper stresses that the relations between Croatia and Serbia are tense due to the 1990s civil war and the unresolved issues regarding displaced persons.
- Serbia worries that Croatia could use its EU membership to solve the disputes. In Belgrade no one believes that the statements of Croatia's PM Ivo Sanader are true when he says that Zagreb will not block Serbia's future talks with EU in any case, reads the newspaper.
"Der Standard" also mentions that Croatia has territorial claims towards BiH regarding the property along the Una river.
The newspaper comments that Serbia - which denies the independence of Kosovo - fails to recognise the border between Kosovo and Macedonia, because "the self-proclaimed government in Pristina has given part of Serbia's territory to Macedonia." //12.23.08
- Hoping that the affected countries will find a solution on their own, Brussels thus far has put the border issues aside. Slovenia's veto on the resumption of the Croatian membership talks with EU has showed to the European diplomats that finding settlements over the border disputes is an European responsibility, reads the daily.
According to "Der Standard". the Zagreb-Ljubljana row over about 150 km2 in the Bay of Piran is putting into question the entire EU plan for 2009.
- The verbal war waged between the Slovenian and Croatian politicians is already causing serious consequences amongst the populations, says "Der Standard".
The border dispute becomes even more complex, adds the daily, if over 145km along the border of Danube river are taken into consideration, which were previously considered as a natural border.
The border in question in Croatian maps passes through Serbian villages, fields and in the middle of a hospital for children with disabilities.
The newspaper stresses that the relations between Croatia and Serbia are tense due to the 1990s civil war and the unresolved issues regarding displaced persons.
- Serbia worries that Croatia could use its EU membership to solve the disputes. In Belgrade no one believes that the statements of Croatia's PM Ivo Sanader are true when he says that Zagreb will not block Serbia's future talks with EU in any case, reads the newspaper.
"Der Standard" also mentions that Croatia has territorial claims towards BiH regarding the property along the Una river.
The newspaper comments that Serbia - which denies the independence of Kosovo - fails to recognise the border between Kosovo and Macedonia, because "the self-proclaimed government in Pristina has given part of Serbia's territory to Macedonia." //12.23.08
So the Slovenes, who it seems have taken a leaf out of Greece's Anti-Macedonian book, have hit the Croats with a Veto due to a personal dispute between the two states. Meanwhile, the Serbs are fearing Croatia's earlier entry into the EU will result in the same treatment the Croats are now receiving from the Slovenes. And that whore of an organisation which is misleadingly referred to as a European 'union' does nothing to halt such unfair injustices, preferring to close its eyes like the typical ignorant politician rather than initiating its tools and resources to take the lead and deal with the issue effectively.
At the end we have the Serbs complaining that the Albanians of Kosovo have relinquished territory to the Macedonians as a part of the Macedonia-Kosovo border negotiations. When exactly did that take place and was it a contributing fact to Macedonia's recent recognition of Kosovo as an independent state?
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