An ongoing dispute between Croatia and Montenegro over the 92-year old Jadran training ship could block Montenegro’s EU accession if not resolved along with other issues Zagreb has put on the table.

The ship, built in 1933, was owned by ex-Yugoslavia and its home was the Croatian port of Split. However, at the start of the Yugoslav wars in 1991, the ship was transferred to Montenegro for a refit and never returned, raising tensions between the two countries.

"We consider the training ship to be Croatian, since it was registered in the home port of Split and that it was sent here for overhaul in 1991, but it was never returned to the port of Split. We are also working on resolving other open issues, the Jadran school ship is certainly an open issue, we also talked about some other open issues,” Croatia’s Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said during a visit to Montenegro as quoted by public broadcaster RTCG.

He added that another open issue is the sea border between the two countries.

"For us, the issue of demarcation at sea remains an issue that we shall resolve bilaterally with Montenegro, as well as succession and military property above all," Grlic Radman said.

Zagreb has said it would not give a green light to Montenegro’s EU accession unless all issues are resolved.

As Podgorica is keen to clear all hurdles to its EU entry, on January 27 the two countries will launch bilateral meetings to resolve the outstanding issues. However, Montenegro seems unwilling to give up the ownership of Jadran, which has become an attractive tourist site.

Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic said in a statement that Montenegro is keen to have good neighbourly relations with Croatia and to find mutually beneficial solutions to all open questions.

"Montenegro sees Croatia as a friendly and allied country. We believe that on this European path, along with our friend Croatia, we shall become a full member of the European Union in a very short period of time. I think Croatia sees Montenegro in the European Union," Ibrahimovic said.