The move is only one of several such challenges from either side, as the countries have contradictory opinions on the protection of the Teran wine, the Kranjska sausage and the Varaždin cabbage.

Slovenia's move has raised a lot of dust in Croatia, as the country has been working on the registration for 13 years, while Slovenia moved to challenge the efforts just before the final deadline.

The Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry told the STA that the decision was made in order to protect the Slovenian producers of kulen.

The ministry is challenging the registration based on a stipulation that it would endanger the existence of a completely or partly identical name or brand, or the existence of products which have been legally on sale for more than five years before the registration.

According to the ministry, Slavonski kulen has been produced in Slovenia for more than 25 years. The Slovenian-made product has a 50%-60% market share in Croatia and registration would have a significant economic impact.

However, one of the biggest Croatian kulen producers, Tomislav Galović, is optimistic that Slovenia's move will not endanger the registration, it would only delay it.