"I expect new steps forward to be made in the Croatian-Slovenian relations after this meeting. The issue of Ljubljanska Banka is here, it exists, but we will be solving it. We have to resolve the issue following the free market regulations but also respecting commitments towards the clients," Josipovic said, positively assessing the position of Croatian National Bank governor Zeljko Rohatinski, who expects the issue of the Ljubljanska Banka clients be solve by some arrangement.

"I am confident that the prime minister (Kosor) will find the right way to resolve this issue," Josipovic said.

Kosor and Pahor are meeting in the Slovenian lakeside resort of Bohinj on Saturday to kickstart a search for a solution to the long-standing dispute over Croatian clients' foreign currency savings deposits in the now defunct Slovenian bank Ljubljanska Banka, an issue which, along with the border dispute, has been weighing on relations between the two countries since the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Josipovic also commented on the latest scandals in the First Croatian Footbal Division, saying that he regretted what was happening and that scandals should not be part of sports.

The media have reported that German prosecutors suspect the sports director of the football club Dinamo Zagreb, Zoran Mamic, of fixing the national cup's first final match between Dinamo and Hajduk last year.

A Croatian daily reported last week that German prosecutors have evidence that Mamic, referees and the-so called betting mob had fixed last year's first final cup match in which Dinamo beat Hajduk 3:0.

German prosecutors would not either confirm or deny reports in the Croatian media, and the Croatian anti-corruption agency USKOK would not comment either.