President Milanović at Gathering of Olive Growers and Olive Oil Producers in Zadar: Only our ideas and know-how can make Croatia no longer dependent on EU funds
“I call on you to aspire to excellence, because that is the only way Croatia can become distinct and not surrender to being average, to inertia, or to counting on European funds to qualitatively change our lives and lift us above some average, because they won’t. Only our ingenuity, ideas and know-how can make Croatia a country that will tomorrow no longer be dependent on EU funds. This is the next step in our development,” the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović said at the opening of the 26th International Event of Olive Growers and Olive Oil Producers ‘Noćnjak 2024,’ which is being held from 14 to 17 March in Zadar.
In this sense, the President of the Republic sees no reason for Croatia to be a European charity case. “This does not mean that we are poor, but we are currently in such a position and our goal is to get out of it and to be the ones who will help others and who will ensure profitability, sometimes extra profitability, on our products and knowledge. There is no reason why Croatian olive oil should not be among those products that will not only make money, but make very good money. However, this requires a rule-based state,” the President pointed out, adding that it also calls for leadership that will fight for the interests of its country.
The President of the Republic reminded that olive oil was not always a high-quality and recognized product from Croatia, but this has changed. “What has happened with olive oil in the last 30 years is actually a quality-of-life matter, culture-of-the-heart matter, a matter of our relationship with tradition and something that has always been there. But it simply took some time to finally accept it,” he said, adding as he is very conservative and traditional in this matter. “I still look at olive oil in the old, traditional way, as a food staple, as an essential part of the land workers’ diet. It is very good that you – unlike the Dalmatian land workers of long ago – sell all your goods,” President Milanović told those present.
The olive growers and olive oil producers event, whose longstanding organization contributes to the promotion and advancement of olive growing in Croatia and facilitates business ties between domestic and foreign olive growers and oil producers, is organized by the Dalmatian cooperative alliance and held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović.
In addition to President Milanović, also delivering welcome remarks at the event’s official opening were the President of the Dalmatian cooperative alliance Lordan Ljubenkov, State Secretary from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Tonči Glavina, and Minister of Agriculture Marija Vučković, who also served as the Prime Minister’s delegate.
After the opening of ‘Noćnjak 2024’ and the presentation of special annual awards to laureates credited for their contributions to the advancement of olive growing and olive oil production in Croatia, President Milanović, accompanied by the host, toured the exhibitors’ stands at the fair, including representatives of numerous companies and family farms who presented their products and services related to olive growing and olive oil production.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek