Ljubljana  - Slovenian President Danilo Turk on Friday signed a law paving the way for Croatia to join NATO next week, the STA news agency reported.

Slovenia, a member of NATO and the European Union since 2004, is embroiled in a border dispute with Croatia. Both countries emerged as independent countries from former Yugoslavia in 1991.

Ljubljana has already blocked Croatia's accession talks with the EU and has delayed until the last moment the ratification of the protocol allowing Croatia and Albania to join at the NATO summit on April 3.

Croatia and Albania received the initiation to join NATO at the summit in Bucharest a year ago. Macedonia was left out owing to a diplomatic row it has with Greece. (dpa)