President Milanović decorates volunteer blood donors: Your human gesture makes Croatia outshine the rest

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović presented today in the Office of the President the Order of the Croatian Star with the effigy of Katarina Zrinska to volunteer blood donors for 2019.

In presenting the decorations for the noble and humanitarian act of donating blood more than one hundred times for men and seventy-five times for women, President Milanović noted that volunteer blood donations are a paradox in Croatia since Croatia is a country in which volunteering and giving one’s free time lags behind most western countries.

“This is due to history, tradition and fears. Nonetheless, an exception in which Croatia’s golden star shines brightly is volunteer blood donations. As far as I know, Croatia excels in this area. A lot of people are willing to donate blood without being pressured or getting something in return. To simply donate blood on a voluntary basis and on humane grounds is a remarkable thing, and is not habitual in Croatia or anywhere else in the world”, President Milanović noted.

Expressing deep gratitude and respect for volunteer blood donors, President Milanović said: “I won’t tell you to just continue because you’ve done your thing. Let others look up to you. This is not criticism addressed to others but a silent appeal for as many as possible to participate in volunteer blood donations. This is a human gesture that isn’t respected or noticed enough. Therefore, the decorations I present today are a debt of honour, an expression I use often and applies to the rare few, it is exceptional and elite”, President Milanović noted in concluding his address.

At a ceremony in the Office of the President the following 75 individuals were presented with the Order of the Croatian Star with the effigy of Katarina Zrinska on a total of 195: Ante Augustinović, Ljubica Babec, Ivica Bana, Saša Barčan, Melva Bećar, Božidar Belec, Ivica Bermanec, Demijen Bošnjak, Danijel Bronzović, Danijel Brozović, Željko Crnjaković, Davor Čleković, Zdravko Čorak, Zdravko Deak, Antun Drašković, Robert Dudjak, Milan Fišer, Božidar Flis, Vlado Gajić, Damir Gamilec, Zdravko Gašpert, Ivica Gril, Kristijan Hlevnjak, Boris Hriljac, Vinko Hršak, Milan Hrženjak, Žarko Ikica, Zoran Ivančević, Stjepan Ivančić, Tomo Jakčin, Damir Jembrek, Ivan Kalingar, Emil Karabaić, Saša Kiš, Vladimir Klanac, Ivan Korman, Samir Korman, Marijan Kos, Marijan Kovačić, Branko Kresoja, Željko Kujek, Ivan Lacković, Karmen Latin-Mikulec, Anka Ledinski, Marko Ljubić, Damir Mateševac, Renato Mikac, Darko Miško, Damir Morić, Vitomir Nekić, Josip Nucak, Josip  Odobašić, Nikola Pavan, Zdenko Pleša, Goran Prodan, Zlatko Puškarić, Damir Ratešić, Miroslav Restek, Željko Ribarić, Darko Sambol, Darko Sever, Darko Sudra, Đuro Šalamunec, Vlado Šarec, Zoran Šarin, Eduard Škvorc, Nenad Špigl, Đuro Špoljar, Ivan Štimac, Milovan Tenčić, Miroslav Todeskini, Željko Tuksar, Stjepan Vrbanić, Antun Vučilovski and Marijan Vujčić. The remainder who were decorated for 2019 will receive their decorations at a ceremony planned for June.

A volunteer blood donor from Osijek and active employee of the Ministry of the Interior Danijel Bronzović gave a thank you speech on behalf of the decorated. He stated that they are proud because their human act of volunteer blood donations contributed to ensuring sufficient and safe quantities of blood supplies to the Republic of Croatia’s healthcare system.

“Donating blood is a human gesture by a person who wishes and is able to help another human being with his blood as a drug. For us who have donated blood 75 or 100 times donating blood is a way of life that fulfils and rejoices us because by having selflessly given a part of ourselves, we have saved many lives and put a smile back on the faces of many”, Mr. Bronzović said on behalf of the decorated.

At the ceremony in the Office of the President were the President of the Croatian Red Cross Josip Jelić and the Executive President Robert Markt. Alongside President Milanović were the Head of the Cabinet of the President Bartol Šimunić, the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić and the Adviser to the President for Education Jadranka Žarković.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić, Tomislav Bušljeta