President Milanović Bestows the Order of Duke Branimir with Ribbon upon Former SOA Director Danijel Markić
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović bestowed upon the Acting Director of the Security and Intelligence Agency (SOA) Danijel Markić the Order of Duke Branimir with Ribbon for outstanding service in promoting the international standing and reputation of the Republic of Croatia and its relations with other states in the area of security and intelligence at the end of his term as Director of the SOA.
“You defended the Agency from the natural impulses of politics to impose itself on it, in an intelligent and elegant way. There was no party politics of any provenance in the service in higher positions, let alone in lower ones, and it’s primarily thanks to you. You did not allow the system to become contaminated. It’s a difficult job and for that we need people devoted to the profession. That’s not what you go to school for, that’s what you live for, form, model through life using the method of trial and error with two crucial essential ingredients, namely patriotism and common sense,” said President Milanović when bestowing the decoration upon the Acting Director of the Security and Intelligence Agency, Danijelo Markić.
At the ceremony in the Office of the President of the Republic, President Milanović noted that he is especially honoured to decorate Mr. Markić in a symbolic, but substantial way with a high Croatian decoration at the end of his work in Croatia. “You deserve this decoration for all you have done for Croatia and for what you have given the homeland still in your youth as a newly mature adolescent, by returning from France to Croatia in 1991, then the war and finally these eight years at the head of one of those state institutions about which little is known and much is speculated”.
“I wish you luck in your new job, for which you were selected for your quality, because if it was politics, and it is always more politics than quality, you would not have been chosen. It would have been someone else from a second or a third country, a little bigger and a little further west than Croatia. You were selected to that post because of your qualities that prevailed. A rare case, there weren’t many of them and there won’t be many of them in the future either, because that’s how Europe works,” said the President, and after thanking Mr. Markić for everything he has done for Croatia, he concluded: “In a few days, your loyalty will be to your new employer, but I know that you will never forget who you are, what you are and where you come from”.
Thanking President Milanović for the decoration, the Acting Director of the SOA Daniel Markić also thanked him for his cooperation. “I would first of all thank you for your cooperation as President of the Republic with me as Director of the Agency. In my opinion, our cooperation was exemplary. At the same time, I would like to thank you for our personal relationship which was always a serious intellectual challenge for me”, Markić stated.
He also thanked former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and former Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković, and the incumbent Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. “You all have one characteristic in common: you wanted a professional, efficient service that would be at the service of citizens and the state, a depoliticized service. You had that and you will continue to have it in the future,” Markić noted.
“As soon as I came to Croatia, I knew that I was part of history, that I was creating history, but at the same time I knew that I was just one small link in all of this without which it would not be possible. And that sense of pride and humility has always guided me, and that’s why this award is a surprise to me,” said the Acting President. He especially thanked the people who meant a lot to him and helped him; Generals Ante Rosa and Ante Gotovina, employees of the Security Intelligence Agency, his family and friends.
At the decorations ceremony for the Acting Director of the Security-Intelligence Agency, Danijel Markić, along with his family members and friends were the Deputy Director of the Security-Intelligence Agency Hrvoje Omrčanin and the Head of the Office of the Director of the Security-Intelligence Agency Davor Franić.
Alongside President Milanović were the Head of the Office of the President Orsat Miljenić, the Head of the Cabinet of the President Bartol Šimunić, the Adviser to the President for Defense Ivica Olujić, the Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić, the Adviser to the President for Education Jadranka Žarković, the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković and the Commissioner to the President for Sports Tomislav Paškvalin.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek