Visiting Slovenia this week, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker will likely be offered Teran, a local variety of red wine. But it won't just be to delight the Luxembourger's palate.
This fruity tipple has become the latest issue of contention in deteriorating relations between Slovenia and Croatia, 26 years after both nations broke away from Yugoslavia.
Since 1991, when they both declared independence setting off an avalanche that led to Yugoslavia's bloody collapse, the two nations have generally got on.
Two-million-strong Slovenia, whose secession from Yugoslavia, unlike Croatia's, was largely peaceful, joined the European Union in 2004.
Croatia, Slovenia's southern neighbour with a population of 4.2 million people, joined the EU in 2013.
But this hasn't stopped several thorny and emotive disputes piling up.
The latest is Teran, produced in the red soils of the rocky Karst plateau, reputedly drunk on a daily basis by Roman emperor Augustus's scheming and long-lived wife Livia.
The name long had protected EU status for Slovenia.
But in January the European Commission decided that Croatia's Istria region -- also on the Karst plateau -- would be able to use the designation too, under certain conditions.
This has provoked an outcry in Slovenia, which has threatened to sue Brussels to protect what it sees as a national treasure.
"The fight for Teran is essential for us," thundered Agriculture Minister Dejan Zidan. "It represents the struggle for Slovenia's position in the EU."
Boris Lisjak, a Slovenian winegrower, worries it will damage a long-standing effort to establish Teran as a high-quality brand.
"In Croatia, they do not have such strict controls of their wines. What they call Teran is an ordinary table wine," Lisjak told AFP.
Croatian growers though say that the Slovenians, well aware that Teran has been produced in Istria for centuries, are being selfish.
- Sweet insult -
When Croatia's foreign minister visited Slovenia in November, he was given Kranjska klobasa, a type of sausage that is also disputed, washed down with Teran.
Croatia returned the compliment at Christmas by sending Slovenia's foreign minister a "Greetings from Croatia" box of chocolates.
An enclosed map was not quite to Slovenia's liking, showing how Croatia would like the Piran Bay adjacent to both countries to be divided up.
This area of water, as well as a speck of uninhabited land, has been another issue that has long dogged relations.
In 2009, after years of bitter disputes, Zagreb and Ljubljana agreed to allow an arbitration tribunal to resolve the spat.
But in 2015 a phone-tapping scandal prompted Croatia to withdraw its support and Zagreb has threatened not to recognise the panel's ruling, expected later this year.
Slovenia's Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec in January issued a veiled threat to disrupt Croatia's tourist industry -- many Croatia visitors pass through Slovenia -- if this happens.
He also pointedly returned the box of chocolates. He slipped inside a copy of the two countries' agreement setting up the arbitration panel.
- Chest-beating -
For historian and Balkans expert Joseph Krulic, Croatia and Slovenia have a great deal in common and mostly enjoy good relations.
But like all neighbours or families they sometimes squabble, he said.
The disputes are "a chance for both countries to show they are defending their national interests, to beat their chests to demonstrate they are true to their national interests," Krulic told AFP.
Slovenia "needs to prove that it's not that small," while Croatia is living up to its long and proud "legal tradition", something that is part of the country's "national identity", he said.
Juncker said he will attempt to steer clear of discussing Teran, saying he wanted to hear "how the Slovenian government and president envisage Europe's future".
"We will not spend hours and hours on the Slovenian wine," Slovenian news agency STA quoted him as saying. He was due to visit on Thursday and Friday.
Visiting Slovenia this week, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker will likely be offered Teran, a local variety of red wine. But it won’t just be to delight the Luxembourger’s palate.
This fruity tipple has become the latest issue of contention in deteriorating relations between Slovenia and Croatia, 26 years after both nations broke away from Yugoslavia.
Since 1991, when they both declared independence setting off an avalanche that led to Yugoslavia’s bloody collapse, the two nations have generally got on.
Two-million-strong Slovenia, whose secession from Yugoslavia, unlike Croatia’s, was largely peaceful, joined the European Union in 2004.
Croatia, Slovenia’s southern neighbour with a population of 4.2 million people, joined the EU in 2013.
But this hasn’t stopped several thorny and emotive disputes piling up.
The latest is Teran, produced in the red soils of the rocky Karst plateau, reputedly drunk on a daily basis by Roman emperor Augustus’s scheming and long-lived wife Livia.
The name long had protected EU status for Slovenia.
But in January the European Commission decided that Croatia’s Istria region — also on the Karst plateau — would be able to use the designation too, under certain conditions.
This has provoked an outcry in Slovenia, which has threatened to sue Brussels to protect what it sees as a national treasure.
“The fight for Teran is essential for us,” thundered Agriculture Minister Dejan Zidan. “It represents the struggle for Slovenia’s position in the EU.”
Boris Lisjak, a Slovenian winegrower, worries it will damage a long-standing effort to establish Teran as a high-quality brand.
“In Croatia, they do not have such strict controls of their wines. What they call Teran is an ordinary table wine,” Lisjak told AFP.
Croatian growers though say that the Slovenians, well aware that Teran has been produced in Istria for centuries, are being selfish.
– Sweet insult –
When Croatia’s foreign minister visited Slovenia in November, he was given Kranjska klobasa, a type of sausage that is also disputed, washed down with Teran.
Croatia returned the compliment at Christmas by sending Slovenia’s foreign minister a “Greetings from Croatia” box of chocolates.
An enclosed map was not quite to Slovenia’s liking, showing how Croatia would like the Piran Bay adjacent to both countries to be divided up.
This area of water, as well as a speck of uninhabited land, has been another issue that has long dogged relations.
In 2009, after years of bitter disputes, Zagreb and Ljubljana agreed to allow an arbitration tribunal to resolve the spat.
But in 2015 a phone-tapping scandal prompted Croatia to withdraw its support and Zagreb has threatened not to recognise the panel’s ruling, expected later this year.
Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec in January issued a veiled threat to disrupt Croatia’s tourist industry — many Croatia visitors pass through Slovenia — if this happens.
He also pointedly returned the box of chocolates. He slipped inside a copy of the two countries’ agreement setting up the arbitration panel.
– Chest-beating –
For historian and Balkans expert Joseph Krulic, Croatia and Slovenia have a great deal in common and mostly enjoy good relations.
But like all neighbours or families they sometimes squabble, he said.
The disputes are “a chance for both countries to show they are defending their national interests, to beat their chests to demonstrate they are true to their national interests,” Krulic told AFP.
Slovenia “needs to prove that it’s not that small,” while Croatia is living up to its long and proud “legal tradition”, something that is part of the country’s “national identity”, he said.
Juncker said he will attempt to steer clear of discussing Teran, saying he wanted to hear “how the Slovenian government and president envisage Europe’s future”.
“We will not spend hours and hours on the Slovenian wine,” Slovenian news agency STA quoted him as saying. He was due to visit on Thursday and Friday.
