President Milanović: The European Union is a community of nation states, not a single state
“Borders between states and nations are not mere whims—they exist for a reason, because they protect. The European Union is not an empire; we are a community of nation states, each with its own identity, history, culture, faith and churches, victories and defeats, loves and hatreds, prejudices and fears. Croatia, Portugal, and Finland are three completely different worlds. That is why the EU cannot be a single state. And that is why anyone who fantasizes about it, talks about it, or worse—works toward it—must be watched carefully. There aren’t many such people in Croatia, but there are quite a few in Europe. These are the dreamers of misguided ideas and concepts that always end in human misery,” warned the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today in Ogulin, where he attended the ceremonial session of the Municipal Council on the occasion of Ogulin Municipal Day.
Firmly rejecting the idea of turning the EU into a superstate, President Milanović stated: “After all these years of membership, I now see the true purpose of the EU: to help each other as much as we can, to ease our lives financially, to trade, to exchange ideas, and to live in a Europe without borders. Yet life without borders is only seemingly perfect—it too brings its challenges and problems.”
By contrast, he explained, “we are in NATO because of the experiences of the past war, because of the aggressor, because of Belgrade—but not to wage wars and not to generate forces with the aim of going to war.”
In his speech, the President also addressed Croatia’s economic difficulties, stressing that “Croatia today lives on debt.” He added: “We had several years of a positive balance of payments, but now we are back in deficit. I see no way out with the current policies. Without EU transfers, the gap would be even larger. That is why it is crucial to manage our finances strictly—to cover our needs without excess, but also without living on debt without thinking about how we will repay it. We are in deficit, and without European money, we are in a hole. And EU money will only keep coming for a while longer. The European Union is not America—it cannot print euros at will.”
Speaking about EU funds, President Milanović also warned that “these transfers will not improve the competitiveness or strength of the Croatian economy, nor Croatia’s export profile,” because EU funds are mostly used for upgrades, not for production. “Almost none of the projects financed by EU funds generate income. Meanwhile, we have fully opened our borders. Foreigners do whatever they want—they produce what they want, sell what they want, without restrictions. This is a warning: we are in a tough competitive game, and if we stumble tomorrow, someone will come and collect on our debts,” he said.
In addition to President Milanović, speakers at the ceremonial session included Marinko Herman, President of the Ogulin Municipal Council; Dalibor Domitrović, Mayor of Ogulin; Matej Mostarac, Mayor of Kastav and Member of the Croatian Parliament; the Government’s envoy, Martina Furdek-Hajdin, Prefect of Karlovac County; and the Parliament’s envoy, MP Anđelka Salopek.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan