President Milanović at City of Zagreb Day ceremony: Our force is mostly undermined by mistrust in public service

31. May 2023.
16:16

“Transparency is a more difficult path that citizens won’t honour every time and turn it into support in the next election cycle. But don’t give up on this, it’s the right path”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović told the leadership of the City of Zagreb at a public awards ceremony on the occasion of City of Zagreb Day.

In congratulating City of Zagreb Day, President Milanović commented on how Zagreb is being run: “As far as I’m concerned, as a resident, an observer, a citizen of Zagreb, what I’ve seen in these two years and what I will watch for in the future – and I think that most people watch for that – is the attitude to public good, to money, to what is common. I’m not rooting for you, I’m rooting for the method. I think it’s the right one. I think that nothing undermines our force and resilience more than mistrust in public service and the attitude to money”.

He spoke of the ten years of Croatia’s membership in the European Union, repeating that “every euro available to us must be used. We don’t rate well when it comes to the use of money. Regrettably, we are among the weaker European states. I’m not accusing anyone, the numbers speak for themselves. We must make efforts to change things. It’s not easy and there are huge challenges that not one European fund will solve, such as the European fund transforming Zagreb into Vienna”, the President of the Republic stated.

He underlined the importance of analysing what has been achieved, and finding ways to make the most of EU membership, warning that Brussels must not become a new Pest or Belgrade, referring to present and past seats of power: “Not to replace one commissariat we had in the past with any other one be it better, more civilised and more cultural”. As for results of EU membership, President Milanović underlined that “in any case he would be for the European Union, there’s no dilemma here”. But he wondered if the financial balance of membership of approx. 10.5 billion euros is enough?

“Ten billion euros in ten years. Yet, today the euro is worth 20 percent less than ten years ago. In these 10 years every year some of the money was allocated to agriculture, which is a social fund that has no developmental effect, it’s preserving social peace. The remainder that Croatia receives rarely goes to direct development investment projects, the only thing that’s close is renewable energy sources. What remains? Cooperative homes, innovation centres, business incubators, building renovations. All of that is great, but there’s no new growth there or wealth”, President Milanović explained, adding that in the past decade Croatia hasn’t achieved above-average growth in relation to comparable states or richer states.

Addressing the gathering besides President Milanović were the President of the Zagreb City Assembly Joško Klisović, the Mayor of Zagreb Tomislav Tomašević, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans’ Affairs Tomo Medved, and MP and delegate of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Marko Pavić. On the occasion of City of Zagreb Day public awards were presented at the ceremony to this year’s laureates by Mayor Tomašević and the President of the City Assembly Joško Klisović.

Accompanying President Milanović was the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan