Slovenia gained the right of passage to international waters through the Croatian territorial waters in the Adriatic sea, and three-quarters of the area of the Piran Bay (which is part of the Gulf of Trieste). This decision was made on Thursday, June 29, the court of arbitration in the Hague, reports Reuters.
According to the verdict, a corridor for Slovenian ships and aircraft will be able to move freely, there must be a width of about 2.5 nautical miles (4.63 kilometers). It is noted that Slovenia does not receive the territory into the property.
Croatian authorities said they did not recognize the court’s decision.
Two republics of the former Yugoslavia since 1991, debate on the division of the Piran Bay in the Northern part of the Adriatic sea. In particular, Zagreb demanded to deprive Slovenia direct access to neutral waters, while Ljubljana has succeeded in creating a special corridor.
In 1991 Slovenia and Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia and declared independence. 13 years later Slovenia joined the EU and NATO. Croatia joined NATO in 2009, and the European Union in 2013.