President Milanović at Start of Construction Work on New Primary School in Koprivnica
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović visited Koprivnica, where he took part in a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction work on a new primary school in the Podolice district of the city.
The President delivered an address in which he said that his decision to come to the ceremony stemmed from the fact that it was in Koprivnica fourteen years ago where he personally saw the first public-private partnership facility, the Fran Galović Gymnasium. Speaking about the public-private partnership model, the President said that at the time there were debates about whether it would be a good model, if it would be too expensive and whether private companies would reap too much profit. “The fact is that private money is used to build facilities that are later financed by local self-government units, cities and states, but the need must be met immediately – the need for a school,” said the President, adding that this model exists in the wealthiest European countries.
Furthermore, he recalled that in Croatia this financing model had been abolished in the meantime and that the construction of this particular school was planned and the contract was signed during his tenure as Prime Minister “when there was less money and when interest rates were much higher. This was abolished by the next Government. Then (those who were affected) sued the Government; the county sued the Government and they received some money. Now this will only be financed by the city,” said President Milanović, wondering if things could have been unchanged: “Now it’s hard for me to say, but it seems to me that the former model was better and that it would be quite sustainable now. Now that money is more accessible and cheaper than ever, maybe (the model) should not have been changed,” the President assessed.
In his address, President Milanović also commented on University North, which was founded in 2015, saying that a lot was invested in education in Koprivnica and that the decision to establish the University was a good one. “The decision to establish University North had to be political because private capital and investors would hardly come here. It would be difficult for them to decide to come to an environment that is as organized and (already) developed as Koprivnica. The state had to intervene here and six years later things are working,” he said. President Milanović pointed out that Koprivnica is a university town of humble beginnings, which has in the meantime become more ambitious, and that has had multiple positive effects. “Koprivnica is not just (the food company) Podravka, it is not just about industry because there is a limited number of people who are able to work in the industrial sector and their numbers are decreasing. The city and the environment need new challenges, new opportunities, new adventures and new successes, and sometimes new mistakes. But this is a story of a completely reasonable and wonderful success,” President Milanović concluded.
On the construction site of the new primary school, children of the Tratinčica preschool from the Vinica neighbourhood placed a time capsule with drawings in the foundations of the school building. The children will be members of the first generation of pupils enrolled in the new primary school in the academic year 2022-2023.
Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education Jadranka Žarković attended the event in Koprivnica alongside President Milanović.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek