President Milanović Tours “Mardešić” Company in Sali on Dugi Otok Island

“The company “Mardešić” received 85 percent of its funds from the European Union, and that is the good side of the story with the European Union, because they finance, and money is directed to projects in such, relatively speaking, isolated locations,” said the President of the Republic, Zoran Milanović, after visiting the company with a longstanding tradition of processing pelagic fish in Sali, on the island of Dugi Otok.

“The European Union provided 85 percent of the funds because it fits the concept of the big (powers) and those who have the money, because it is not in competition with anyone in Berlin, Brussels, Paris or Amsterdam. It allows us to keep some shapes and customs of the old life and to earn something. But they will not give us 85 percent for something in Zadar, for something that competes with them. You have to fight for it yourself. For them in the EU, this is folklore, but for us it is life,” President Milanović pointed out.

He added that people used to leave Dugi Otok because it was isolated, while today people come to work on the island, mostly foreigners. “I saw local people there, but the workers are mostly foreigners,” said President Milanović after visiting the company’s production facility.

Accompanied by company Director Marina Depolo and owner Pavle Paunović, President Milanović toured the production facility of the company “Mardešić,” which was founded in 1905. The company started operations and canning fish in 1907, when it did business under the name “Neptun,” later changing its name to “Mardešić.” It flourished in the years after World War II and became synonymous with the quality of canned fish.

At its heyday, 400 workers were employed in the factory. Today, the company has slightly more than 80 workers. Daily production reaches up to 70,000 cans, which are sold on the domestic and export markets. Through continuous investment in production processes and the development of new products, the company strives to maintain its position as a major player on the domestic market, as well as to continue expanding to other European markets, it was said during the President’s visit.

Furthermore, social responsibility was emphasized as one of the cornerstones on which the business of the company “Mardešić” rests, because throughout the entire history of its business, an honest partnership between the company and the community was maintained. Likewise, the company constantly invests in production and its employees while ensuring that the quality of the fish remains at a high level. In this sense, it was emphasized that particular focus is placed on the freshness and origin of the fish and on the preservation of the fish stock, especially sardines.

President Milanović was accompanied on his visit to the company “Mardešić” by the Head of the Office of the President of the Republic Orsat Miljenić and the Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for the Economy Velibor Mačkić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek