President Milanović at Šibenik-Knin County Day Celebration: Now’s the time for us as a state to fight for ourselves
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended in Šibenik today a special session of the Šibenik-Knin County Assembly on the occasion of Šibenik-Knin County Day. President Milanović extended congratulations to the citizens on County Day, and told them they have the resources and people who are quick learners, tough, adaptable and intelligent, calling on them to continue preserving nature and their heritage.
Regarding the development of Šibenik, President Milanović said that the city’s progress is evident. “There’s a better quality of life here, and the city adapts to its fate. No longer does heavy industry employ hundreds of poorly qualified workers with a relatively small added value. Today you venture more ambitiously into fields where more money is earned”, the President noted.
In terms of demographic renewal, he said that for him it means “numbers, i.e. how many we are, and what we are capable of doing”. He stressed that there are enough Croats to make Croatia and Šibenik-Knin County a place enjoyable and desirable to live, for what people will envy us. “Since there is something here to be envious of. People from Central and Western Europe don’t come here in large numbers for no reason just to revel in the sun and the sea but in something special. Also, because the area is unburdened, and the natural resources have been preserved. Therefore, preserve nature, but don’t make an ideology out of it, and a new religion. Nurture people to people relations. The war period has been difficult in this area, and relations between the Croats and the Serbs cannot be ideal, but it’s up to us Croats to make these relations normal”, President Milanović stated.
President Milanović also referred to the absorption of European funds. “If we don’t make use of European funds, then we are complete losers, and should ask ourselves what we’re doing in the European Union because everything else is giving, or rather taking from us. Billions of euros are being offered to everybody especially to the poor. The objective is to take all the money or as much as possible, not to be the weakest like we are now, and to slowly realign ourselves for the time when we won’t need the money anymore since we’ll be rich”, President Milanović noted, emphasizing that we’re taking too little from the European funds, but that it’s not the responsibility of this government or previous ones.
“This is reality, we have to keep this reality in mind, and manage in areas of interest because nations and states act on the principle of selfishness. As a nation we should not be ashamed to be selfish as long as we’re not malicious, evil or perfidious. Let’s focus on our own interests – that’s the only way for a small nation to survive and prosper”, President Milanović stated. He concluded his address by saying that now it’s time to fight for some things as Croats, as a national state, and not to act as if we’re not interested.
Speaking at the celebration of Šibenik-Knin County Day were the President of the Šibenik-Knin County Assembly Stipe Petrina, Šibenik-Knin County Prefect Marko Jelić, Deputy Prime Minister and envoy of the Prime Minister Anja Šimpraga, and member of the Croatian Parliament and envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Branka Lučev-Martinčev. Annual recognitions and awards were presented to the most deserving citizens and associations of Šibenik-Knin County.
Alongside President Milanović were the Head of the Cabinet of the President Bartol Šimunić and the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek