President Milanović: I expect Rijeka to be a centre of knowledge and excellence
“Rijeka is a city which grew on money and commerce. Not on great artistic contributions or great noble families, but on something practical. Naturally, it should have a top-notch faculty of economics. That is the reason why my expectations from Rijeka are high and why I expect it this to be a centre of knowledge, academic prestige and excellence. I expect people to come here for education because the potential, knowledge and experience it carries are great,” said the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović in Rijeka today in his address at the special session of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Rijeka on the occasion of the Faculty’s 65th anniversary.
Speaking further about Rijeka, he emphasized: “This is a city from which I still have great expectations.” “This is a city of commerce, shipping, port operations, finance, insurance and everything that goes along with that. Rijeka has always been a European, nowadays a Croatian city – not a large one, but an open and multinational one for the most part of its history. This history of many cities cannot and should not be erased at any cost. Everything history brings to Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik, no matter how much the population changes in the following hundred years, will leave a mark on the city. The one that Rijeka carries is a mark of excellence,” emphasised the President.
In his address, he referred to the Bologna Process, saying it was a reform which, in his opinion, brought much more bad than good; however it also “brought some good things – a certain kind of purification took place.” “Due to this purification, the Faculty lost a significant number of students. University is not for everyone and shouldn’t be for everyone. There is no shame in not finishing one’s studies or not attending university. A university programme must mean excellence,” said President Milanović.
Apart from President Milanović, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business in Rijeka Prof. Saša Drezgić, Rector of the University of Rijeka Prof. Goran Hauser, Mayor of Rijeka Prof. Iva Rinčić, Prefect of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Ivica Lukanović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and envoy of the Prime Minister Tomislav Ćorić, as well as Member of the Croatian Parliament and envoy of the Speaker of the Parliament Josip Ostrogović delivered an address. Public recognitions were awarded to prominent individuals and partners of the Faculty.
President Milanović was accompanied by the President’s Adviser for Education Jadranka Žarković and Special Adviser for the Economy Velibor Mačkić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić