President Milanović Visits Observatory, Development Center and Technology Park in Križevci
On the occasion of Municipal Day, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović visited today the town of Križevci, where he toured the Križevci Observatory and the Križevci Development Center and Technology Park.
During his visit, President Milanović toured the Križevci Observatory in the company of his hosts, the Mayor of Križevci Mario Rajn, Deputy Mayor Danijel Šašek and President of the Križevci Town Council Igor Frbežar, under the expert guidance of the “SPARK” project manager Dr. Andrej Dundović. The Observatory was constructed as part of the project “SPARK – Synergy of naturalists, astronomers and computer specialists from Križevci” and is part of the Center for Cosmology – Center for Science and Education, the first of its kind in Croatia, dedicated to space research and the popularization of space-related subjects.
The project “SPARK,” which is worth 3 million kunas, was co-financed with EU funds and launched as an initiative of civil society organizations from Križevci, the P.O.I.N.T. Association, Astronomical Society “Perzeidi” and the “I Love Križevci” Foundation, as well as the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Križevci College, “Franjo Marković” Town Library and the Town of Križevci. Its aim is to offer children, young people and the general public new content which promotes natural and technical science and stimulates interest in space-related topics.
The President of the Republic toured the Križevci Development Center and Technology Park, where he visited the companies “Hedona” Ltd. and “Codel” Ltd. The company “Hedona” was founded ten years ago by the Association of Persons with Disabilities from Križevci. It is primarily devoted to the production of handmade pralines, chocolates and dragées, and has 33 employees, 18 of whom are disabled. The company “Codel” is a high-tech engineering firm with operations focused on the management of industrial processes and material flow, which has been in business on the domestic and foreign markets for more than thirty years.
During the visit, the Mayor of Križevci Mario Rajn presented to President Milanović the other investments that are underway in Križevci, such as the construction of a nursing home, preschool, the “Medikadent” Polyclinic, a veterans’ monument, the “Ivan Seljanec” Secondary School and other projects.
On the roof of the Križevci Development Center and Technology Park, President Milanović toured the “Sunny roofs of Križevci” – the first such project implemented in Croatia as part of which a solar power plant was installed on the roof of a public building through a joint investment. The tour was led by the manager of the Green Energy Cooperative Zoran Kordić, who presented this project to President Milanović, as well as other initiatives that will enable Križevci to become an energy-independent town by 2030.
President Milanović was accompanied on his visit by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić and the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education Jadranka Žarković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta