Following a formal request by journalists for insight in the contents of the recent Slovenian non-paper, the EU Council services refused access to the document but confirmed its existence, MIA reports from Brussels.

“The General Secretariat of the Council has been able to identify only one document as falling within its scope. After careful examination, I regret to inform you that access to this document cannot be granted, as such request clearly falls within the exception provided for under the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, according to which: “[t]he institutions shall refuse access to a document where disclosure would undermine the protection of (…) the public interest as regards” (emphasis added), notably, “international relations”,” says the General Secretariat in the response.

It adds that the journalist who filed the request may ask for the review of this decision within 15 working days of receiving the reply, adding that reasons should be indicated should there be a need for such a review.

However, the response confirms the existence of such document filed by Slovenia. Media have recently reported that the government of PM Janez Jansa has delivered a non-paper that focuses on border revisions in the Western Balkans. The Council and its President have never confirmed the existence of such document.