Irish government prays for Croatian accession to the EU: but is it 'guaranteed'?

[He3]

The path to Croatian membership of the EU has hit a speedbump. This report in EUobserver explains how progress has stalled because of a border dispute with Slovenia.

In a new setback to Croatia's EU bid, the Czech EU presidency on Wednesday (24 June) cancelled an EU-Croatia intergovernmental conference planned for 26 June due to a lack of progress in Croatia and Slovenia's border dispute which has been blocking Zagreb's EU accession talks for six months.

People are not best pleased, but Slovenia is unmoved.

Slovenia's behaviour and its firm position in this dispute "does not make a good impression," she told EUobserver.

Because Slovenia is now an EU member state – it joined the bloc in 2004 – it is in a position of force and what it is doing now is "a sort of blackmail."

"It is rather Balkan [behaviour] and not very ‘European.' The other member states should bring Slovenia to its senses," Ms Noutcheva said.

The Slovenia-Croatia case is similar to that of another EU candidate, Macedonia, which has been unable to even start EU accession talks for almost four years due to a dispute with Greece over its name.

"It is the same story again," Ms Noutcheva said, adding that "if everyone started to [use enlargement to] get even like this," it would go against all European values.

"It is not the spirit of the EU, of European integration and of enlargement," the analyst pointed out.

EUobserver / EU officials tire of Croatia-Slovenia dispute

This may have a knock on political effect in Ireland. The 'cast iron legal guarantees' on which the government hopes to sell a Yes to Lisbon depend significantly on text which it is promised will be added to the anticipated Croatian accession treaty.

The worrying question for the Irish government is what happens if Croatia does not make it to membership?

[Christine Murray]

lrish Times coverage ¿

[Question R24U]

Cyprus and Greece (and France) will reject the Turks.
Spain will not recognise Kosovo.


Fortunately, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Briain and Northern Ireland joined in the same day, so or minor dispute over the existance of a border (and Rockhall) has never trouble the EEC/EC/EU.

[Christine Murray]

and Kennedy will only cover in the Property Section cos EU expansion = investment opportunities. God forbid IT would look at political issues such as the NATO article (last night) or anything remotely outside her very narrow editorial bias.

[He3]

lrish Times coverage ?

Haven't spotted it yet. Magnifying glass not strong enough.

[Christine Murray]

Haven't spotted it yet. Magnifying glass not strong enough.

Skinny latte on the coast of whichever accession state, just don't mention censorship/imprisonments nor human rights violations
(specially in Turkey)

http://www.agiasofia.com/asan.html

[He3]

and Kennedy will only cover in the Property Section cos EU expansion = investment opportunities. God forbid IT would look at political issues such as the NATO article (last night) or anything remotely outside her very narrow editorial bias.

Such a contradiction of liberal ideals.

[steady on now]

The protocols do not need the accession of Croatia. They can be attached to the accession of Iceland or just brought in on their own in as a mini treaty if needs be. The reason for attaching to an accession treaty is for simplicity sake but on is not reliant on the other

[He3]

A mini treaty to modify the mini treaty? Vanishing point beckons...

[TommyO'Brien]

A mini treaty to modify the mini treaty? Vanishing point beckons...

You are incorrect.

All EU treaties amend Rome and Maastricht, so the protocols can be attached to any. EU treaties are ten-a-penny. Most of small, highly technical and make on minor changes (for example, updating legal terminology).

If there is an accession treaty they can be attached to it.

If not, plenty of other EU treaties happen all the time, often every time the EU signs some international agreement, so they can be added to it.

Even if no treaty comes alone, they can be enacted as a stand-alone one page treaty. They happen all the time. There have been a couple since Lisbon. As soon as Lisbon is enacted as amendments to Rome and Maastricht, then the protocols can be added in by any number of routes, including as a stand-alone single page treaty in its own right. That was made clear at the time.

Your thread is built on a non-issue.