SEZANA, Slovenia (AP) – Slovenian winemakers said Friday they expect the European Commission to suspend the procedure of issuing a permit to Croatia to use the Teran red wine brand in the 28-nation bloc.
The head of a Slovenian group to protect Teran, Marjan Colja, told The Associated Press that his group has “no doubt” documentation presented by Croatia has been “partly forged.”
Neighboring EU members Slovenia and Croatia have long been at odds over the use of the Teran name. Slovenia says it has exclusive rights to the brand, which it considers a national treasure.
The European Commission has allowed Croatian winemakers to use the name under certain conditions, but Slovenia has challenged the decision, demanding a review of the case. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said during a recent visit to Slovenia that the commission will look into Slovenia’s complaint.
“Teran is more than a wine,” Colja said. He added that in Slovenia’s Kras region, in western Slovenia, “we don’t have other industry and because of that Teran is so important.”