ZAGREB, January 27, 2018 - Not one Istrian fisherman has received a Slovenian fine for allegedly "crossing the Slovenian border without permission" and if they receive them, they will send them to the Istrian border police chief in line with an agreement with Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić, Istria County Fishermen's Guild president Robert Momić said on Saturday.
Croatian fishermen from Savudrija and Umag have been sent 14 fines under the Slovenian misdemeanours law for crossing the Slovenian border without permission, Slovenian police have said, adding that those who do not pay the fines could be banned from entering Slovenia.
Speaking to Hina, Momic said the procedure had been agreed with the relevant Ministry and that if Croatian fishermen received the fines, "they will be forwarded to the Interior Ministry and then they become the concern of Croatian institutions." He said Savudrija fishermen had met with Tolušić twice this year and that he told them they had the right to continue fishing in the same area as they had done for years and that they could continue to do their job in peace, without suffering material damage.
"We still want friendly communication and a dialogue with Slovenia. We will continue to act normally, as we have always done, in Savudrija Bay (Bay of Piran), keeping in mind that the (border) arbitration ruling isn't valid and that its unilateral application isn't possible," Momić said.
Slovenia does not recognise the middle line in Savudrija Bay as a temporary demarcation line until the border dispute with Croatia is resolved, claiming that, under the arbitration ruling, a majority of the bay belongs to it. Croatia refuses to accept the arbitration ruling, saying that Slovenia had compromised the arbitration process.
