Reactions on the Slovenian side following Thursday's revelation of the border with Croatia as determined by an international tribunal indicated Slovenia had reached its key objectives, notably access to the high seas. Croatia, on the other hand, insists it will ignore the internationally binding decision.

The international arbitration tribunal that has determined the border between Slovenia and Croatia has ruled that the vast majority of the Bay of Piran is Slovenian. It also defined a 100 square km junction that secures Slovenia's access to the high seas. Croatia confirmed it would not respect the decision.

Today's decision of the arbitration tribunal on the Slovenia-Croatia border is a historic moment for Slovenia, PM Miro Cerar said as he commented on the ruling in Ljubljana on Thursday. He confirmed the decision is final and legally binding on both countries, but admitted that not all of Slovenia's expectations have been met.

International maritime law professor Marko Pavliha believes that the arbitration tribunal was very creative in its ruling on the Slovenia-Croatia border, especially when it comes to the access to the high seas. He believes the tribunal has done its job.

International law experts Vasilka Sancin and Dominika Švarc Pipan agree that Slovenia can be content with the border with Croatia as determined by the international arbitration tribunal and especially with the undisturbed access to the high seas.

The arbitration tribunal determining the border between Slovenia and Croatia has awarded a disputed area south of the river Dragonja to Croatia. The adverse decision for Slovenia was accepted stoically by most residents of the area, excluding Joško Joras, a Slovenian living on the left side of the river.

President Borut Pahor said that the arbitration had proven to be the best way of solving the border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia. After the tribunal deciding on the issue delivered its final award today, Pahor stressed that the rejection of the arbitration treaty did not exempt Croatia from implementing the ruling.

Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec commented on the decision of the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration tribunal, notably determining a junction between Slovenia's waters and the high seas, by saying that the decision confirmed that Slovenia was a maritime nation.

Slovenia got more than 75% of the 19 square kilometre Bay of Piran, which forms a key part of its coast, as part of the award delivered by the Hague-based arbitration tribunal on Thursday. It also got official access to the high seas with the creation of a 100 square km strip that has become a mixture of Croatian and international waters.

The head of the Slovenian legal team, Alain Pellet, is happy with the outcome of the arbitration on the Slovenian-Croatian border, as "this is the best we could've hoped for".

What is expected to be a two-hour presentation of the decisions made by the international arbitration tribunal on the course of the Slovenian-Croatian border has began in The Hague.

Slovenia and Croatia will have six months to "take all the necessary steps" to implement the international arbitration tribunal's deciding on their common border. After Croatia's unilateral withdrawal from the arbitration, international support, especially from the EU, will be crucial in implementing the decision.