President Milanović in Bedekovčina: Remember that no one gave anything to Croatia
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended today a formal session of the Municipal Council of Bedekovčina. He congratulated Municipal Day and the Feast of the Church of St. Barbara to all the residents of Bedekovčina, and told them that he sees they are doing well and to tap the European funds.
“Our interest is to absorb as much money here as possible from the European funds. It’s not money that directly makes new money because nobody that has money will give it to their competitors. Investments are being made in infrastructure, sports complexes, which is good. It would be much harder without the funds at our disposal, and therefore hats off to every local government and self-government that has succeeded in this effort to absorb as much as possible, to the last euro”, President Milanović noted.
He went on to say that we should be aware no free money will be available indefinitely. “We have to seize the moment, take as much as possible and then deal exclusively with strengthening ourselves, being financially more independent and richer”, he said. In that sense President Milanović reminded that all the key infrastructure projects in Croatia, with the exception of the Pelješac Bridge, were built with Croatian money or loans that Croatian citizens and companies pay and repay.
“No one gave that, just as no one gave anything at all to Croatia. Remember that. Everything we received in the past thirty years we paid for dearly, and waited three times longer than others to get what is rightfully ours just as every people that wants its state and wants to live in peace, independently and as rich as possible”, the President indicated, adding that we entered the European Union fairly late because we waited way too long. “In the end we entered this organization that has its difficulties and contradictions. We are in it, and that’s good. We have to be loyal, but not get carried away with great ideas that it’s something that will last forever. Maybe it will. I go from the perspective that this is our base, our homeland Croatia, our region, our native soil and everything above that in our eyes exists to protect this here and our interests”, President Milanović said in concluding his address.
At the formal session, the head of the Municipality of Bedekovčina Darko Ban, the president of the Municipal Council Mario Ocvirek, and the head of the Children’s Municipal Council Luka Jambrek talked about the projects that were accomplished in the past period and about future plans. Congratulating Municipal Day in their addresses were the head of the Municipality Mladenka Mikulec Šimunec on behalf of the mayors and the heads of Municipalities, member of the Croatian Parliament Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, Krapina-Zagorje County Prefect Željko Kolar, and mayor of Krapina, member of the Croatian Parliament and delegate of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Gregurović.
Alongside President Milanović was the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan