The statement marks a renewed rejection of Croatia's tentative plan and comes on news that Croatian political leaders are meeting today to form a proposal for bilateral resolution of the dispute though one based on the arbitration award.

Despite dismissing the proposed method, Erjavec said it was good that Croatian political leaders were at least talking about the arbitration award, having previously denied its very existence.

"This is the first step towards the recognition of the arbitration award by Croatia," said Erjavec, who attributes Croatia's "change of rhetoric" to Slovenia's decision to block Croatia's OECD accession.

Croatian media also reported today that Croatia was mulling proposing a special fishing regime in the Piran Bay in the form of a shared fishery.

Erjavec said this proposal was "unacceptable for Slovenia".

In general, he warned that the two countries had engaged in bilateral talks several times before, only to end up empty-handed.

"If we were to enter bilateral talks in the sense of changing the substance of the arbitration award, I'm afraid this would mean respect for the arbitration award would end," he said.

The meeting of the Croatian leadership was convened by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in the run-up to a planned visit by Prime Minister Miro Cerar to Zagreb.

Cerar has said he is willing to meet Plenković only on condition that implementation of the arbitration award is on the agenda; if not, he does not plan to go to Zagreb.