Exactly six months ago, on the 29th of June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague presented its ruling determining the border between Slovenia and Croatia. The deadline for both countries to start implementing the award ends today. Slovenia has successfully carried out all its tasks, except those which have to be done in cooperation between both countries. Croatia still rejects the arbitration process, insisting that it was irrevocably compromised. The meeting between the two countries’ prime ministers, Miro Cerar and Andrej Plenković, in July in Ljubljana and ten days ago in Zagreb, did not bring any progress, except the notion that despite their opposing positions the two countries are still capable of holding talks.

The Slovenian government reportedly plans to sue Croatia at the EU Court of Justice in the spring. At the last meeting between Cerar and Plenković, Croatia’s PM said that for Croatia, today’s day will be like any other day. And despite the calls made out to Croatia to refrain from provoking any border incidents, Slovenia fears just that. The role of the European Union and EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans are therefore all the more significant. Mr. Timmermans will reportedly visit both countries before the end of the year. After all, the arbitration agreement was signed in the presence of the presidency of the Council of the European Union.