President Milanović presents decorations to voluntary blood donors and tells them: You are transmitters of solidarity

“I see voluntary blood donors as educators and transmitters of solidarity in Croatia. There is no greater form of solidarity,” President Zoran Milanović stated today at a presentation ceremony of the Order of the Croatian Star with the effigy of Katarina Zrinska to voluntary blood donors in 2023 for the noble and humanitarian act of donating blood more than one hundred times for men and seventy-five times for women.

“I don’t know if you are invited to educational institutions, schools. Just as Croatian fighters, Croatian defenders and liberators relate to children what they did and what they sacrificed for Croatia with reason, deep purpose and emotional basis, so I see you too as educators, to show children what solidarity is because there are no better bearers of news, no better wings on which good news flies than yours. Thank you for that,” President Milanović emphasized.

Speaking about solidarity, he said that it is a word that is quite inflationary in the world and that everyone uses too easily, “without actually knowing what it means or wanting to use it for some of their political needs at home, abroad, in wars, where support needs to be gained”. “We often hear the word solidarity, although most often it is not about solidarity but about some kind of interest that needs to be justified by something”, he explained.

“We cannot see, experience, and define solidarity in any other way than as a relationship of support for those in need and who are close to you according to some objective criterion. No one is closer to a human being than a human being. Whatever religion you belong to and even if you are not a believer, I think it’s hard to argue with this statement. It’s the most fundamental form of solidarity. You have indebted Croatia, but you have indebted every human being even more, solidarity above all,” President Milanović told the decorated voluntary blood donors.

The Order of the Croatian Star with the effigy of Katarina Zrinska is awarded to 207 voluntary blood donors in 2023. At the ceremony in the Office of the President of the Republic, 156 voluntary blood donors received a decoration: Adamić Stjepan, Antonac Sandi, Babić Antun, Babić Marinko, Ban Tomislav, Barušić Damir, Beg Franjo, Belina Zvjezdana, Bereković Marijan, Bezmalinović Andrija, Bijelić Josip, Bokun Ivan, Božić Karlo, Bratić Vjekoslav, Car Željko, Cepanec Saša, Cikoš Josip, Cipan Zvonimir, Cmrk Dražen, Čavlina Alen, Čeović Marko, Čičević Tomislav, Ćorić Omer, Domaćinović Franjo, Dombaj Damir, Domović Krunoslav, Drlje Krunoslav, Druško Biserko, posthumously – his daughter Dubravka Druško received the decoration; Dumančić Tihomir, Faraguna Josip, Ferenc Silvijo, Filip Ivica, Fištrek Žarko, Flac Mladen, Gal Željko, Gelo Josip, Gojšić Antun, Grdak Božidar, Grilj Predrag, Hajduk Antun, Havaić Vladimir, Hedžić Edin, Hegeduš Dražen, Herceg Zdravko, Horvat Damir, Hrestak Borna, Hršak Mladen, Hunić Darinka, Hunjet Stjepan, Ilinić Danko, Ivanišević Vjekoslav, Iža Vjekoslav, Jeličić Petar, Jelinčić Leo, Jelušić Sanjin, Jurak Ivica, Jurenec Đurđa, Jurković Dinko, Klancir Siniša, Klaus Vlado, Klemenc Miroslav, Koščak Željko, Kovač Goran, Kozjan Marijan, Kralj Siniša, Kranjec Krunoslav, Krizmanić Damir, Križaj Mladen, Krsnik Ernest, Kušec Ranko, Kušić Biserka, Kuzmanić Dobrila, Leverda Zoran, Lončarić Slavko, Lugarić Jadranka, Ljuština Saša, Majcen Mario, Majnarić Goran, Marinović Perica, Marušić Juraj, Matanić Mario, Matejčić Nenad, Matić Anita, Matijević Ivica, Matković Željko, Melvan Zoran, Mijatović Zoran, Milković Ivica, Mitić Zoran, Mohač Zdravko, Momić Dalibor, Novosel Željko, Oblian Ankica, Okanović Eldin, Orijević Zlatko, Oršić Josip, Pahor Milovan, Pauljković Željko, Peček Ljuba, Pendić Miroslav, Perković Ivan, Pernjak Ivan, Peruško Eugen, Petreković Dražen, Petrlić Božidar, Pinjagić Rusmir, Plivelić Mile, Pohižek Josip, Prelčec Marijo, Pucko Anton, Puljić Dario, Pužar Dražen, Radišić Damir, Ranogajec Božena, Restović Želimir, Rubeša Loren, Rusmir Željko, Sabolek Tomislav, Samardžija Gregorič Lidija, Sindičić Zlatko, Sočković Krešimir, Srdarev Goran, Sremić Ana, Šafran Franjo, posthumously – his daughter Kristina Šafran Juriša received the decoration; Šalamon Josip, Šarec Robert, Šepl Marijo, Šestanj Dražen, Škrtić Zdenko, Šnel Oto, Špoljarić Aleksandar-Vinko, Štaba Stjepan, Štefanac Željko, Šuman Robert, Talan Antun, Taves Jožef, Tolić Tonći, Tomljanović Zoran, Trbojević Filip, Trstenjak Josip, Varga Danijel, Vidaković Zorislav, Visković Tonči, Volarić Ivica, Vorih Dražen, Vragović Damir, Vučić Ivica, Vukić Vladimir, Zagorec Dragutin, Zajc Petar, Zerec Željko, Zveržina Zorko, Žegor Dražen, Žeželj Boris, Živković Mirko and Župić Dražen.

Voluntary blood donor Zvjezdana Belina addressed the gathering on behalf of the recipients. “We are gathered here today because we share the same human values, we have the same desire, but also enough energy and activity to help others. Each and every one of us can do it and does it in a special, humane way, unique way. Donating blood is not just an act that saves lives, but also a sign of human solidarity and compassion. Croatia is proud to have enough safe blood thanks to solidarity, unity and humanity. It is a national treasure because the need for blood, illness and helplessness do not choose the moment. Thank you, Mr. President, for today’s special day.”

On behalf of one hundred and thirty Croatian Red Cross societies, volunteers and employees, and the present voluntary blood donors in 2023, President Milanović was also thanked for the reception and the decorations by the president of the Croatian Red Cross Željko Grubišić, who pointed out that blood donation in Croatia has always been self-sufficient. “It has never happened in the Republic of Croatia, not even during the Homeland War, that we did not have enough doses of blood for those in need,” the president of the Croatian Red Cross indicated.

Attending the presentation ceremony in addition to the president of the Croatian Red Cross were the following: the executive president of the Croatian Red Cross, Robert Markt; the director of the Hrvatski zavod za transfuzijsku medicinu (Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine) Prim. Irena Jukić, MD, PhD; and representatives of the Croatian Red Cross: the Head of the Health Services Department, Rosana Svetić Čišić; the Head of the Department for Voluntary Blood Donation, Božica Bortek; as well as Silvija Kanižaj, Lucija Glavač, Karla Marić, Iva Ćavar, Marija Bujan, Natalija Večerić, Katarina Bednjanec and Valentina Nekret Katić.

Alongside President Milanović were the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society, Melita Mulić; the Adviser to the President for National Security, Dragan Lozančić; the Adviser to the President for Education, Jadranka Žarković; the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Goran Grobotek; the Special Adviser to the President for the Economy, Velibor Mačkić; the Assistant Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy, Ivan Mutavdžić; the Commissioner to the President for Sports, Tomislav Paškvalin; and the president and a member of the State Commission for Decorations and Awards, Velimir Neidhardt and Ratko Kovačić.  

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta, Dario Andrišek