President Milanović Urges Municipal Authorities at Zagreb Day Ceremony: Pursue Achievable and Realistic Goals

Today, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović took part in the City of Zagreb Day ceremony. During the event, which included the presentation of public awards, he praised the Zagreb municipal authorities and city administration for successfully stabilizing finances despite inheriting a “terrible situation.”

“In the last three years, we’ve witnessed significant changes in the way Zagreb is governed, primarily concerning public finances. Considering the challenges we’ve faced and the hardships we’ve endured, the progress here is commendable. Things are being done the right way. You have chosen a difficult path, one without instant solutions, and there are a million challenges,” stated President Milanović in his speech.

Commenting on the average salary in Zagreb, President Milanović remarked, “The average salary here is 1,600 euros, yet only 25 percent of the population earns this amount. We need to focus on the median salary in such an expensive city. Efforts should be made to alleviate the burden of living costs for residents. While it’s possible to live on 1,600 euros in Zagreb, the challenge lies in how to do so, considering the impact of inflation,” said President Milanović, urging the Zagreb leadership to pursue achievable and realistic goals, as there is much that can be accomplished.

“Be resilient in areas where your predecessor was not. You’ve inherited a terrible situation, but you’ve succeeded in stabilizing the city finances, managing money more effectively and efficiently, ahead of schedule. This conservative and restrained approach may cause discomfort in certain business circles, but it is crucial to maintain it, as the alternative is far worse. While we may wish for immediate perfection, it’s not realistic,” said the President of the Republic, extending his congratulations on City of Zagreb Day and encouraging the Zagreb administration to persevere on this difficult path. “Throughout history, this has been the Croatian way – a path worth taking, one that embodies both resilience and compassion,” concluded President Milanović.

In addition to President Milanović, Joško Klisović, the President of the Zagreb City Assembly, Tomislav Tomašević, the Mayor of Zagreb, and Andrej Plenković, the Croatian Prime Minister, also addressed the audience. As part of the City of Zagreb Day celebrations, Mayor Tomislav Tomašević and President of the City Assembly Joško Klisović presented awards to this year’s recipients during the ceremony.

President Milanović was accompanied by Velibor Mačkić, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for the Economy.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan