President Milanović: The things happening now are a temporary deviation that is not good
“As a state, we are seriously searching for an agenda, a programme, or a course of action. What is the next thing that should occupy us, in what should we prove ourselves, from what should we protect ourselves? There is a vacuum, and I see nothing here except the fight for European funds,” said the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović, speaking at the ceremonial session of the Faculty of Political Science on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of its founding and Faculty Day at the University of Zagreb.
“The times we live in astonish me; I cannot say that I am disappointed, but I am confused by what is happening to us, to society, to Europe, and to the world as a whole. These are strange, leaden times,” added President Milanović. Speaking about the situation in Croatia, he emphasized that he wants to believe that “the things happening now are just a temporary deviation that is not good, but all of this is minor compared to what is happening around us.”
“This building was constructed with European funds. I see a lot of scaffolding around the city, also funded by European funds. That is good, but that is more or less all the European Union contributes in terms of competitiveness, resilience, the strength of our economy, productivity, simply profit capacity,” he said, referring to the reconstruction and energy renovation of the Faculty of Political Science building, which was severely damaged in the 2020 earthquakes and financed with the European Union Solidarity Fund and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
“A little bit of agriculture, facades, roofs, and everything else is dull bureaucratic inertia through which the European Union is leading us into some kind of war or conflict, over which we have no control or influence—we simply march blindly. The moment the European Union starts borrowing to finance general needs or war—and that is the current agenda—then we have crossed a line. A state emerges when there are common finances that someone manages and collects. Everything else is just a story: the European Parliament, all the EU bodies, and the terrifying European Commission led by people no one elected,” warned President Milanović. He added that “the European Union has long ceased to be a peace project, and NATO has long ceased to be a defensive alliance.”
Addressing the students, he said, “The Faculty of Political Science needs to develop methods, a categorical apparatus, expertise, curiosity, and scepticism—not ideology, because that arrogant ideology some call ‘liberal terror,’ that sort of haughty arrogance that sells everyone intelligence and knowledge, is an incredibly costly affair.” “The European Union must not move toward becoming a state. I hope the younger generation understands what kind of Europe it is for. Beyond the reach of our home country, I see nothing; the European Union and NATO serve as tools to advance our interests, which must be defended—not violently—and to be loyal to the system you belong to because you entered it voluntarily,” concluded President Milanović.
In addition to President Milanović, the ceremonial session featured addresses by the Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, Assoc. Prof. Dario Nikić-Čakar, Ph. D.; the Rector of the University of Zagreb, Prof. Stjepan Lakušić, Ph. D.; the Head of the Education, Sports, and Youth Office of the City of Zagreb, Luka Juroš; and the Director of the Directorate for Science and Technology at the Ministry of Science and Education, Hrvoje Meštrić, Ph. D., acting as envoy of the Prime Minister. Awards and recognitions were presented to the most successful students, professors, retired professors, and partner organizations.
The Faculty of Political Science at the University of Zagreb is the oldest higher education institution in Southeast Europe systematically training experts in political science, journalism, strategic communication, and national security. The Faculty enrols over 1,500 students across two undergraduate, five graduate, four specialist, and one doctoral programme.
President Milanović was accompanied by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan