Croatia News - CroatiaPress.com

Zagreb, March 15 (CP) – Since the Protected Ecology and Fisheries Zone’s (ZERP) implementation in Croatia against EU countries has been postponed as of Saturday, Italian and Slovene fishing boats can now fish freely in this segment of the sea.

Although HSS MPs as well as HSP leader and two SDP MPs voted against of the postponement of the ZERP implementation, this was not enough to protect it from being postponed.

In return, Croatia has for the first time been given a tentative date for completion of its EU entry negotiations by European Commission president Juan Manuel Barroso, but on condition that it fulfils all provisions set.

This leaves the ball once again in Croatia’s court and not much has been gained by backing down on ZERP, as it is quite easy for Croatia not to be able to fulfil all the demands regarding judiciary restructuring and return of those who left the country during the war, as the key issues.

Croatia had started officially implementing ZERP on January 1, 2008, but the move was met by protests from Italy and Slovenia which led to the current haling of the actual implementation of the Zone.