President Milanović Awards Charter of the Republic of Croatia to the Miko Tripalo Center for Democracy and Law
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović has awarded the Charter of the Republic of Croatia to the Miko Tripalo Center for Democracy and Law for its continuous work in promoting the values of democracy, human rights, an open society, and economic and social justice. At a ceremony held at the Office of the President, the Charter was received on behalf of the Center by its president, former Croatian President Ivo Josipović.
“The Charter has been awarded to the Miko Tripalo Center for Democracy and Law, but one cannot overlook the importance and role of Miko Tripalo himself – one of the rare champions of normalcy, honesty, and decency in Croatian public life and politics. In the relatively short period during which he was active, or allowed to be active, Miko Tripalo left behind a golden legacy,” said President Milanović. He emphasized that the decision to award the Charter to “a respected and credible civic association that works for the common good” was made by him and his team.
“The Charter goes to a Center that carries forward, in name, form, and substance, the work begun by Miko Tripalo. I believe you do him honour – and you honour Croatia as well,” President Milanović added. He concluded that, given the circumstances in which we live, “we cannot change much in the world, but we can do our best to make Croatia a country we are proud of.”
“We proudly bear the honourable name of Miko Tripalo. He was a man who above all spread decency, patriotism, and the idea of progress. He was the one who in many ways began our transition from a different system toward something better. We are proud to carry his name and follow the principle from Cesarić’s poem ‘Slap’ (Waterfall) – we know that as an association we cannot change the world, nor even the country, but we believe that our small drop helps,” said Ivo Josipović upon receiving the Charter.
He noted that “the members of the Center are all highly distinguished lawyers, scholars, experts, and advocates for human rights, gender equality, and children’s rights – areas we care deeply about, because the problems we face in these fields must be solved for us to become a better society and a better country.”
Alongside the president of the Miko Tripalo Center for Democracy and Law Ivo Josipović, members of the Center present at the ceremony included Vinka Tomić Tripalo, Viktor Gotovac, Branko Roglić, Vedran Đulabić, Velibor Mačkić, Goran Sunajko, Neven Budak, Zlata Đurđević, Dario Čepo, Vlasta Ilišin, Anja Gvozdanović, Ivana Dobrotić, Petar Kuzmić, Ivan Obadić, Antonija Petričušić, Goran Radman, Sunčana Roksandić, Hrvoje Nemet, Tajana Božić, and Mirela Lovretić.
The Miko Tripalo Center for Democracy and Law was founded on 2 July 2003 in Zagreb by prominent Croatian scholars, members of the academic community, and public figures with the aim of promoting democratic ideas and values in Croatia, strengthening the rule of law, and encouraging the Europeanization of Croatian society and politics. The Center and its members seek to foster dialogue, raise public awareness, and propose and support changes on important issues, primarily in the political and legal spheres, as well as those concerning the welfare state.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek