President Milanović Meets the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta John Dunlap Who Is on an Official Visit to Croatia
The President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović received the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta, His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ John Dunlap, who is on an official visit to the Republic of Croatia.
During the meeting at the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, the two leaders discussed the cooperation and diplomatic relations between Croatia and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which had formally been established in 1992, and confirmed their shared commitment to the values of solidarity, humanity, and respect for human dignity.
The centuries-old mission of the Sovereign Order of Malta – which today maintains diplomatic relations with 115 states and several multilateral institutions – has focused on the service to the poor and the sick in 130 countries across the world; it was noted during the meeting. Croatia recognizes and highly values this longstanding commitment of the Sovereign Order of Malta to caring for people in need.
President Zoran Milanović and His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ John Dunlap expressed their shared desire to strengthen the cooperation in the humanitarian, medical, and social fields for the benefit of those most in need. In this spirit, they officially confirmed their mutual intent to conclude a legally binding cooperation agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the Sovereign Order of Malta.
The agreement should establish a legal framework for bilateral cooperation, define objectives to be pursued, outline operational parameters, facilitate emergency response, and set out the applicable administrative arrangements. Both leaders expressed their conviction that closer cooperation will help consolidate the excellent bilateral relations and strengthen the friendship that has united Croatia and the Sovereign Order of Malta for more than three decades.
During the formal meeting, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović awarded the Grand Order of King Tomislav with Sash and Grand Star to His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ John Dunlap as the highest honour of the Republic of Croatia awarded to the heads of state for actions during the establishment of the sovereign Republic of Croatia, for extraordinary contributions to its international reputation and position, and for important contributions to the development of state relations between Croatia and their countries.
At the same time, His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ John Timothy Dunlap awarded the Collar pro Merito Melitensi to the President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović as the highest order of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, awarded exclusively to heads of state and monarchs.
His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ John Dunlap was accompanied by Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Hospitaller Dr. Josef D. Blotz, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Croatia Pietro Mortini, Chief of Cabinet of the Grand Master Fabiana Giovannoni, Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Amb. Giampaolo Cantini, Chief of Protocol Giovanni Battista Borgiani, and Diplomatic Desk Officer for Europe Barbara Vitali.
President Milanović was accompanied by Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic Bartol Šimunić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education Jadranka Žarković, State Secretary for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, Spokesperson of the Office of the President of the Republic Nikola Jelić, and Assistant Adviser to the President of the Republic for Foreign and European Policy Ivan Mutavdžić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić, Dario Andrišek