President Milanović Decorates Voluntary Blood Donors, Emphasizing Croatia’s Philanthropic Spirit
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today honoured voluntary blood donors of 2022 by awarding them the Order of the Croatian Star featuring the effigy of Katarina Zrinska. This gesture acknowledges their noble and humanitarian act of donating blood. Men who have donated at least a hundred times and women who have donated at least seventy-five times were decorated.
In his address at the ceremony, President Milanović expressed gratitude to voluntary blood donors and emphasized that the decoration he is awarding them is merely symbolic of what they selflessly give, as people to people, without any compensation. “We have passed a test as a society. It is a test of life in which Croatian people have been responding for generations to the call of conscience and philanthropy to give their blood,” said President Milanović.
He said that in terms of blood donation, Croatia is different from other countries because “people give more.” “It is one of those sweet sanctuaries of our society and culture. We have grit – sometimes despondency, but it is not present in you. Philanthropy and human warmth prevail. And for that, I thank you. I am proud of you and eagerly await shaking hands with each of you,” the Croatian President told the honoured voluntary blood donors.
The Order of the Croatian Star featuring the effigy of Katarina Zrinska was received by the following 136 voluntary blood donors of 2022 at the ceremony in the Office of the President: Ivica Anić, Anđelko Baljak, Miroslav Barić, Petar Barić, Milući Baučić, Slavko Bišćan, Ladislav Blažić, Frano Bojić, Zvonimir Bosanac, Vladimir Brdsko, Zvonko Brkić, Denis Bruketa, Slobodan Cigula, Damir Crnković, Ivica Crnojević, Ivan Cvetko, Željko Čep, Siniša Debogović, Josip Dilenardo, Tomo Dorić, Ivica Drempetić, Ivan Dročić, Željko Đenanović, Dušan Đurašković, Petar Filiplić, Pero Filipović, Zoran Garaj, Ivica Gašparić, Stanko Gložinić, Zlatko Golec, Željka Grbac, Damir Grčević, Vlatko Grubiša, Valter Gržeta, Željko Gubijan, Dragan Gužvić, Sulejman Hasanović, Mirko Hemetek, Zlatan Hleb, Ivan Hodak, Branko Horvat, Milan Horvat, Milan Hranilović, Marin Hreljac, Domagoj Iveković, Ivica Jetelina, Antun Jošić, Ivica Kadoić, Darko Kanjir, Ivica Kičin, Tihomir Klasić, Milan Klišanin, Ivica Knežević, Ivan Konečni, Zlatko Kos, Darko Kovačić, Medarda Kozjak, Zdravko Kranjčević, Dragan Krnjić, Darko Krog, Mate Krpan, Miroslav Kubinek, Ivan Kukec, Josip Labavić, Antonije Lanc, Drago Leščić, Krešimir Lezaić, Božidar Liber, Jurica Lisica, Antun Lovrenčec, Željko Malić, Željko Marjanović, Siniša Markan, Marinko Mataija, Ivica Matalin, Tihomir Matovina, Dražen Medved, Franko Melon, Milojko Mikanović, Radovan Mikulec, Darko Mikuljan, Mirko Misliveček, Josip Nemet, Zlatko Neral, Saša Neznanović, Branko Novak, Meri Obilinović, Igor Orlić, Stjepan Oroš, Drago Palajić, Darko Paradi, Nera Pavlaković, Srečko Pavličić, Zvonko Perger, Danijel Perošić, Igor Petolas, Mladen Petrovečki, Milan Petrović, Željko Pilat, Damir Piršljin, Ivan Polak, Dragutin Pozaić, Zlatko Preglej, Tihomir Radočaj, Zlatko Rašić, Andrija Romac, Borislav Rukavina, Darko Sić, Mijo Sirovica, Ivan Slivar, Ivan Soldić, Danijel Stanić, Mario Svečak, Željko Svetec, Lori Šantić, Mladen Šestak, Klaudio Ševo, Marijan Šinko, Darko Šišan, Dražen Škofljanec, Ivan Škrlec, Stjepan Šmidt, Stjepan Šoštarić, Marijan Štukar, Mirko Tičić, Marijan Travenšćak, Srećko Tvorić, Stanislava Valovičić, Rudolf Vodopivec, Stjepan Vrabec, Veljko Vračević, Hrvoje Vratović, Božidar Zlomislić, Ivica Žižak, and Duda Žužić Konečni.
Voluntary blood donor Ivan Hodak spoke on behalf of the award recipients and thanked President Milanović for the decorations. He noted that, despite coming from various parts of Croatia, they symbolize an active bond between a part of the community and patients, nurturing human relationships, valuing and respecting life. “I believe that each of us is proud of the fact that by donating our blood, we have helped save someone’s life, just as the generosity of others may one day save ours. Donating blood fulfils and delights us. We consider it our way of life,” Mr. Hodak said.
Finally, addressing the ceremony guests was the President of the Croatian Red Cross, Josip Jelić, who stated that the awards ceremony for voluntary blood donors was a rarely seen and joyously celebrated day of philanthropy. “Today, those standing here strongly support the saving of human lives in the best possible way – by helping others through selfless giving. The people of Croatia can indeed be proud,” Mr. Jelić said.
Attending the ceremony at the Office of the President, in addition to the President of the Croatian Red Cross Josip Jelić, were Dr. Irena Jukić, Director of the Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine, and employees of the Croatian Red Cross.
Accompanying President Milanović were Melita Mulić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society, Dragan Lozančić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for National Security, Neven Pelicarić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Foreign and European Policy, and Zdravko Zima, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Culture.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan, Dario Andrišek