President Milanović in Omišlj: Congratulations on Statehood Day to those who think it’s today, however Croatian statehood is much older
“After a thirty-year experience in Croatia this model of decentralization functions in a satisfactory way. Especially where opportunities and funds exist and where money and value are generated. That’s you and quite a few more municipalities in Croatia”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović stated at a special session of the Municipal Council of Omišalj.
“Where this is not the case, it’s the task of the Croatian state to equalize us as much as possible in our rights, opportunities, the chances we have in life and the expectations we build for ourselves and our children”, he added, and underlined that Croatia doesn’t have too many municipalities, but rather too much monetary fiscalization. “As I see it, too few people managing too much money in Zagreb”, he stated.
The special session was held this evening in Omišalj on the occasion of Municipal Day, Whit Tuesday and the 30th anniversary of the Municipality of Omišalj. In his address President Milanović assessed that this type of self-administration functions well on the island of Krk. “Decentralization works well here, it proves that things have functioned well so far. Now you have the following challenge – to be indeed a rich integrated western country. Part of that western world is fiction, extremely materialistic, greedy. These are the problems of today, and it’s up to us in this time to tap as much money as possible”, he noted.
“This small old Croatian gem is one of the rare cities and communities that bears witness to Croatian statehood, which is much older. To those who think that today is Statehood Day, I congratulate it from the bottom of my heart!”, President Milanović stated, adding that those are things that must not divide us but that have to connect us even more.
“This is one of the cradles, one of the pillars of Croatian identity. This is where the Baška Tablet originates, at the other end of the island”, the Croatian President noted, and in that sense, he underlined that children should learn the Glagolitic script. “They are looking into it over here. It’s a unique and unrepeatable part of our identity. I think that the children should become aware of this”, he noted.
Speaking of the projects accomplished in the past thirty years at the special session were the President of the Municipal Council of Omiš Dunja Mihelec and the Head of the Municipality Mirela Ahmetović. Greeting the residents of Omišalj in addition to President Milanović were the Mayor of the Town of Krk Darijo Vasilić and the Deputy County Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Vojko Braut and the Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Sabina Glasovac.
Alongside President Milanović was the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas