President Milanović Addresses Chilean Congress: Croatia and Chile should cooperate more in the fields of science, economy and defence
“In the past 30 years, our two friendly and partner countries have developed excellent relations and achieved good cooperation. At the same time, I must say that there is additional potential for further strengthening of our relations. I am confident that in the years ahead we will take advantage of these opportunities and start cooperation in new areas. Our cultural and scientific cooperation are areas where it could be improved, but also areas such as the economy and defence. I am confident that we will work on it together,” President Zoran Milanović said at the joint session of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress of Chile held on the occasion of his official visit.
Speaking at the Congress in Valparaiso, the seat of the Chilean legislature, the President said that the economic relations between Croatia and Chile are still relatively modest.
“I am aware of objective aggravating circumstances such as the high cost of transporting goods due to long distances. However, at the same time there is encouraging interest by numerous Croatian companies from various economic sectors, who are interested in the development of cooperation, for example companies in the defence industry with respectable foreign references. I would also like to point out the possibility of using the ports of Rijeka and Ploče as an entry point for Chilean products to European markets, especially the markets of Central and Southeast Europe. One of the largest foreign investments in Croatia is that of Chilean Croats, the Lukšić family, and I see great potential for further development in the sizeable Croatian community in Chile,” President Milanović emphasized.
President Milanović is convinced that his official visit will further awaken, as he put it, the close and friendly relations between the two countries and peoples. The fact that the President’s official visit was also accompanied by cooperation at the parliamentary level should also contribute to this.
“Parliaments in democratic countries play a central role in political life, because they represent the will of the citizens through elected representatives. I believe that parliamentary cooperation greatly contributes to the bilateral relations between our two countries. Croatia attaches great importance to this through the work of the Croatia-Chile Interparliamentary Friendship Group, which is active in the Croatian Parliament and successfully cooperates with the friendship group in your Parliament. In order to give additional importance to parliamentary cooperation, Ms. Natalija Martinčević, Member of the Croatian Parliament and Head of the Croatia-Chile Interparliamentary Friendship Group, is with us today,” said President Milanović.
In his address to the deputies, the President again recalled the role of Croatian emigrants in the history of Chile.
“Today, we see the descendants of Croatian emigrants in many Chilean institutions, from the highest political ones, to the Church, military, economy, culture and sports. I am glad that the members of the Croatian community have been active politically since their immigration until today, thus directly contributing to the progress of their country. Over the last 150 years, a large number of members of the Chilean Parliament had Croatian roots. In the presidential elections throughout Chile’s history, there were three candidates of Croatian origin. Croatia is extremely proud of the fact that Mr. Gabriel Boric Font, a member of the third generation of Croatian immigrants, received the majority support of Chilean citizens in the last elections, thus being elected to the highest office in your country,” said President Milanović.
After the session, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Vlado Mirosevic presented President Milanović with a Decoration of the Chamber of Deputies. The President of the Republic’s visit to the Congress in Valparaiso marked the end of his official stay in the Republic of Chile.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta