Speaking in Kranj on Wednesday, Pahor said that the border arbitration deal with Croatia "is a big success of Slovenia's policy". However, he also expressed fears that during the current campaign leading to the referendum, Slovenian opposition parties could be joined by some political parties in Croatia and a part of the country's ruling structures which he said believed that Slovenia had been given too big a concession.

Pahor dismissed statements in the Croatian media that the arbitral tribunal would rule on the border exclusively in line with international law, saying that the border arbitration agreement also defined criteria pertaining to equity and establishment of all relevant circumstances, which he said benefitted Slovenia.

Pahor believes that arbitration gives Slovenia the opportunity to "re-establish the situation on the border" that existed at the time when the two countries gained independence, to have its junction to the high seas determined, and to get a fair solution for the land border.

Slovenia will not be given again the opportunity offered by the arbitration agreement because Croatia will soon complete its EU accession talks, and rejection of arbitration would put Slovenia in an unfavourable position in the international community, Pahor said.