President Milanović Attends Formal Session of Ploče Town Council

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended the formal session of the Town Council of the Town of Ploče on the occasion of the Ploče Municipal Day.

Congratulating the residents on their Municipal Day, President Milanović noted that Ploče is a specific town which differs from the rest of the cities and towns on the Adriatic since it is not tourism-based. About mayor Krstičević, he said that he is an atypical mayor who dedicates himself to the local community and the people he lives with, emphasizing that this is the hardest kind of confidence to obtain yet easily lost.

“In politics you have to be a local patriot, in national politics you have to be selfish. People elect you to serve them. One has to be attached to some ideals, fundamental values, have some guidelines. You’re here to serve the town and only everyday minor ideas pass here. This also true for a small state like Croatia”, President Milanović said. He added that one should believe in ideals, but live an ordinary life.

The President of the Republic added that we have to fight for every euro from European Funds and said that they are available to us in such amounts that every million euros that are not absorbed are a minor offense and the responsibility of those who didn’t make efforts to utilize them. In this context, he talked about Croatian interests in the European Union stressing that we must consider our interests and be selfish.

“What is the common denominator of three and a half million or perhaps fewer adults in Croatia? If we stop complaining and spreading panic that we will become extinct, that there are no Croats or that we don’t have a work force. There are enough of us in a country like this, and we administer very beautiful and rare resources that we will keep for ourselves, selfishly and jealously watch what we do with them. Here and there with the help of foreign workers that we will need, but we have to be careful that these are people are similar to us in a certain way”, President Milanović noted.

At the formal session of the Town Council celebrating Ploče Municipal Day, a presentation was made of town projects and investments, and awards were conferred upon deserving residents. Addressing the gathering besides President Milanović were the president of the Town Council Aleksandar Ostojić, the mayor of the Town of Ploče Mišo Krstičević and the president of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Assembly Terezina Orlić.

Alongside President Milanović was the Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic Bartol Šimunić.

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