President Milanović Marks Trogir Municipal Day
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a special session of the Trogir Town Council on the occasion of Trogir Municipal Day and the Feast of St. John of Trogir, the patron of Trogir.
In his address at the special session, President Milanović extended best wishes to the residents of Trogir on Municipal Day and said the following: “I am sure there won’t be fewer people in this town than there were ten years ago, maybe the same number. The same applies to Split and Makarska, but not to some other places in Croatia. There will be fewer people there.” The President emphasized that these trends are almost impossible to stop, adding that it is wrong to become depressed and give in to a moral panic due to the impression that we are disappearing. “That’s very far from the truth. Demographically, we will revolve around the level we have reached for another hundred years. It’s up to us to make life good today and to plan clearly like in the army, what will be in five or ten years,” said President Milanović.
“That includes money! You have more money than some other local units and towns. You have the EU funds, which I am constantly mentioning,” the President pointed out, noting that the absorption of EU funds is the only measure of success in the organization we have entered, surrendering many of our natural rights. “And state rights. We did that consciously, with an objective and nobody forced us. Now, after the first eight years, as a country we are richer by 2 billion kunas a year from EU funds. That’s one-fifth of Zagreb’s budget, that’s too little,” the President underscored.
President Milanović commented on the Recovery and Resilience Facility, saying that it is something where the funds are intended for us and we have yet to absorb them, or not. “That’s a huge test, for the administration and for the whole country. I will not tell you what is best for you, but in principle I can tell you to fight for that money. Fix what was taken from this town – a historical pearl and wonder – by uncontrolled urbanization in the seventies and eighties. It’s not an easy task. It’s not your fault, but it’s a challenge,” President Milanović concluded.
Speaking at the special session apart from the President of the Republic were the President of the Trogir Town Council Toni Zulim, Mayor of Trogir Ante Bilić and Deputy Split-Dalmatia County Prefect and envoy of the Prime Minister Stipe Čogelja. Awards and recognitions were presented to the Town of Trogir laureates for the year 2021. Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić was alongside President Milanović.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan