President Milanović in Viškovo Calls on Croatian Municipalities and Cities to Absorb European Funds
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a special session of the Municipal Council of Viškovo on the occasion of Municipal Day. “It’s nice to be here, a place that vibrates, things are happening here, it’s full of life”, President Milanović stated in his address.
Noting that the same is regrettably not true of the homeland as a whole, he said: “I approach everyone with the same fervour and expectations. I know that Croatia is not developing at the same pace and that it’s not a job that can be done overnight, that not one government can accomplish this during one term in office”.
Speaking of present-day Europe, he said everybody does not think the same. “One should not be naive and think that all of Europe was built on identical values, not all values are for everyone, they are not accepted by everyone. Imposing one’s own values on others is not a smart path. In recent years, Europe has too often pursued a policy lacking sensibility. “I’m the Croatian president, I answer to Croatian citizens and the Croatian people, to everyone in Croatia, and my job is to be very narrowly focused on us, to be a selfish, constructive, loyal ally”, President Milanović noted.
He said that Croatia today is more harmonious than ever. “There are no radical differences in views on the most important issues, and when everyone will think the same, then one will think for all – and that’s not good”, the President added.
He reiterated that European funds are there to be absorbed because “we have given the EU plenty of our original freedoms and rights which, for one state, one national community, are the essence of everything”. He added that on such a big market we can be competitive only in tourism and in some segments of know-how and shipbuilding. “Therefore, you just go for the European funds! This requires certain knowledge, preparation of projects and not everyone is able to do it. Time and energy should not be spared to educate and train people to do the groundwork”, he noted.
“Croatia had lost many years through no fault of its own. Today Croatia could have been among the wealthier states had there been no war, but then there probably would have been no such independent Croatia. That’s the debt we owe those who made sacrifices so that Croatia could be what it is today. Our job is to make Croatia a firm, hard, yet pleasant and friendly state that will have firmer finances, that will finance its own needs, that will not ask anyone for charity, that will be inclusive, civilized and tolerant,” President Milanović said in concluding his address.
Among the officials extending congratulations on Viškovo Municipal Day aside from President Milanović were the President of the Viškovo Municipal Council Bojan Kurelić, the Head of the Municipality Sanja Udović, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County-Prefect Zlatko Komadina. Awards and recognitions were presented on the occasion. 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 / Marko Beljan