President Milanović in Koprivnica: Thumbs up for counties, regions pose a risk to Croatia
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended on Thursday the special session of the Koprivnica-Križevci County Assembly on the occasion of County Day and the 30th anniversary of Koprivnica-Križevci County.
“Thirty years after your county was established, we still have counties and prefects. The decision for Croatia to look like this, as it has continuously looked in the last 30 years, without any interventions, was the decision made by a small group of people headed by President Tuđman. It was agreed back then that Croatia would look like this and that it would have this many counties and more than 500 units of local administration and self-government. And since then, while the ink was still wet, we have persistently been delving into the current set-up and we constantly wish to change it – by abolishing counties, introducing regions and abolishing municipalities. But, as far as I know, only new municipalities, a few of them, have been established since then,” President Milanović said, adding that he has been waiting for years for someone to say that they want their municipality to be abolished, but it did not yet happen and “it will not happen.”
The President further commented on the territorial organization of Croatia on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of counties in Croatia, emphasizing the importance of preserving the country’s unity and functionality, for which the veterans fought. “The system we have is sustainable. Did it prove to be the best? We don’t know of any other. We don’t even know if it could be replaced by something better. But I think it couldn’t. We wouldn’t come up with a better system. During the war, our priority was not the number of municipalities and counties, but to preserve the country and liberate it. The system is designed to keep Croatia in some kind of functional alliance,” the President continued, explaining that he “never believed in regions and views them as a risk.”
“Thumbs up for the counties, for your county, tomorrow for Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and for all those where people elect their representatives who serve as a bridge of cooperation and understanding between the chamber of patriots in Koprivnica and St. Mark’s Square,” the President told those present at the ceremony in Koprivnica.
President Milanović again spoke about the importance of taking advantage of EU funds. “For me, European money is what it’s all about at this moment and it must be the mission of this generation of politicians and public officials in Croatia. That money should be used completely. I advocated joining the European Union and NATO, but that is only an instrument, an instrument that you need to fit into the orchestra called Croatia. The Union adopts strategies and we are a drop of water in the waterfall. We have to see to it that we survive there and that we protect our interests, and that we are aware of what those interests are. One learns from success,” said President Milanović, adding that it makes no sense to create the illusion that we have an influence on anything in the European Union.
President Milanović concluded his address with these words: “Protect the Kajkavian dialect, be proud of it and be practical. Use it actively in all your speech, even formally. If you don’t use it, it will disappear.”
Speaking at the special session apart from President Milanović were the Mayor of Koprivnica Mišel Jakšić, Koprivnica-Križevci County Prefect Darko Koren, and Brod-Posavina County Prefect and President of the Croatian Union of Counties Danijel Marušić. Plaques, recognitions and awards of the town of Koprivnica were presented to this year’s laureates and a special programme was held as well.
President Milanović was accompanied in Koprivnica by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia/Dario Andrišek