"We are very happy with the opening of these two chapters. This has confirmed once again that we are in the final stage of our negotiations and this eliminates doubts in the successful completion of our negotiations," Vladimir Drobnjak, Croatia's chief EU entry negotiator, said after a Croatia-EU accession conference.

He would not comment on Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor's statement that Slovenia had protected its interests in these two chapters.

"The opening of a chapter is followed by negotiations between Croatia and EU member countries. These are the basic rules of the process and I would refrain from making any comments before the chapters are closed," said Drobnjak.

"We allowed the opening of chapters 13 and 27 after substantial and strenuous negotiations and adjustments that satisfied our interests," Pahor said yesterday after a Slovenian government session.

The Fisheries chapter was blocked the longest, since the screening, the first stage in the EU entry negotiations. In October 2006, owing to Slovenia's lack of consent, the Council of the EU did not adopt the European Commission's screening report for that chapter.

Asked when Croatia would open the remaining three negotiation chapters, Drobnjak said he expected all to be opened during Spain's EU presidency, by the end of June.

Also today, Croatia was invited to submit its negotiating position on the Judiciary and Fundamental Rights chapter, following a decision adopted yesterday by the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives.

A decision to invite Croatia to submit its negotiating position on the Competition Policy chapter is expected later this or early next month.

The third unopened chapter is Foreign, Security and Defence Policy, for whose opening no benchmarks have been set, although there is no consent from Slovenia.

"Croatia has done everything in that chapter ... Croatia is an active participant in many peace operations, it participates in the common European foreign and security policy, it is a NATO member, considerably contributing to security and stability," said Drobnjak.

"Regarding good neighbourly relations with Slovenia, they are improving, which is best evidenced by the signing of the (border) arbitration agreement and its quick ratification. I see no reason not to open (the chapter) soon," he said.

Croatia asked for some exemptions and transitional periods in the two chapters opened today.

In the Fisheries chapter, Croatia asked for the right to retain traditional fishing tools, while in the Environment chapter, it asked for certain transitional periods due to the high costs of adjustment to European standards. The chief of the negotiating group on the Environment chapter, Nikola Ruzinski, said investment in said adjustment exceeded several billion euros.

According to Croatian estimates, over EUR 10 billion will have to be invested in environmental protection over the next 20 years. Adjustment costs will have to be paid by the state and local budgets as well as the private sector.