REHN: PELJESAC BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION IS OUTSIDE OF EU JURISDICTION

BRUSSELS, Belgium (October 31,2007) – Construction of the Peljesac bridge, as well as other open issues between Bosnia and Croatia, do not fall into the European Union’s jurisdiction. The EU will not finance the project, Olli Rehn, EU Commissioner for Expansion stated.

”The Peljesac bridge project, as well as some other open issues between Bosnia and Croatia are outside of the EU jurisdiction. Apart from that, the European Commission does not finance the project of bridge construction”, Rehn wrote in a letter to Wolfgang Buflon of the European Socialist Party. He said that for that reason Commission is not authorized to intervene in the issues that arise from the problem.

Bulfon had written Rehn a letter, asking the EC opinion on the issue of Land – Peljesac bridge construction and on determining the sea border between Bosnia and Croatia.

Rehn added that the Commission is of the opinion that the “neighboring relations are the base in the stabilization and association processes”.

In that sense, the Commission will keep encouraging both the countries to solve their open issues, Rehn said.

Croatian Prime Minister Sanader marked the beginning of bridge construction last week.Bosnia is against the construction because the bridge will block Bosnia's access to the open sea.