This week as well will be dedicated to unveiling the veils concealing the acts regarding the arbitration ruling on Slovenian-Croatian border, just as the previous one. The government is expecting to receive the first comprehensive information in written of the ruling by the Court of Arbitration, which will be then forwarded to the National Assembly and thus allow it to form the final position. Until then the ministers, including the prime minister Miro Cerar, will keep talking with the people living in the border area.

The government promises to help to all those who had remained outside the Slovenian territory to preserve the same level of rights also regarding schooling, health care, and, last but not the least, moving back to Slovenia.
But this will take time. At first the government has to receive a written copy of the arbitration ruling, which should happen by the end of the week, and initiate the discussion between Slovenia and Croatia on implementation of the arbitration decision on the border, regardless of its rejection by Croatia. For that purpose, this week Slovenia will send a note to Croatia to start the discussion. The Slovenian government claims it will take no measures which might encourage any conflicts, and that there is no rush. Both countries have six months at their disposal to initiate the procedures for implementation of the arbitration decision, and there is no deadline.
A special coordination group will be in charge of implementation of the ruling. The government will form the group this week; it has already been operated, but informally. The act on municipalities and spatial and administrative legislation will have to be changed. It will be interesting to learn the opinion of the European Commission on the arbitration ruling, especially since the European Union was the author of the arbitration agreement.
The first response by the European Commission is expected tomorrow, when the commissioners have a board meeting scheduled. Off-the-record rumours can be heard that the commissioners will discuss the options the European Commission has, besides informing Ljubljana and Zagreb of the arbitration ruling, and to appeal to reason, and dialogue.
A. Č., Nataša Mulec, Radio Slovenija; translated by G. K.