President Milanović: We’re in the European Union, but we have to use our heads
“To be independent – we are, to be a member of the European Union, but we have to use our heads because we know what our experience was with Belgrade, Budapest, Vienna. Brussels is more democratic than them, but there is something that comes first, and that is Croatia and our interests, which we must strongly and fiercely push because no one will otherwise see them. To achieve results it’s necessary to think, observe and fight for our interest, be vigilant and persistent in order to achieve them. Maybe your town is an example of that. This is a town that lives to its fullest, is developing, is making money and isn’t dying. People will come and go, will return”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović stated today in Nova Gradiška where he participated in Municipal Day celebrations.
In his address at the special session of the Nova Gradiška Town Council on the occasion of Municipal Day and the Feast of the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, President Milanović commented on the budget of Nova Gradiška. “I see that most of the budget is represented by European funds, 15 million euros is quite some money. This is money we once couldn’t even imagine in Croatia at this level. And that’s good. That’s European money, but ours as well”, President Milanović said, underlining that every euro that isn’t spent is a failure which needs justification and explanation why it wasn’t spent.
“This town is an example of how work is done cleverly within the scope of what is possible. Nova Gradiška is doing a serious job within the scope of what is possible, and that’s evident at every step”, the President noted, and cautioned that soon we will not have this amount of European funds at our disposal as we have presently. “There will be less and less money. This is a golden and mature period in which we have to face the fact that it won’t last forever. This money has to be tapped as intelligently as possible”, he said, and, as an example, he mentioned the money smartly invested from the EU funds in the Technological Innovative Centre in Nova Gradiška just opened within the framework of the realization of the project of the Research and Product Development – Nova Gradiška (CEKOM NING), co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
“This town had a tradition of a quality metal processing industry and in some way you have this again here. Money is earned in this sector, and I would recommend this to everyone. Certainly some new jobs will develop from this at a level of knowledge and earnings that not everyone has”, the President indicated, and gave his full support and encouragement to everyone in Croatia who tries to go this way.
In his address he also mentioned Slavonski Brod and the “Đuro Đaković” company where the first American Bradley Fighting Vehicles arrived, and said: “This isn’t only a matter for the Croatian Army. The Army is thus strengthened, but the job will be done in “Đuro Đaković”, our experts will do the work. The idea was for the entire work to be done here and to make the Army happy too, for the citizens to get a better level of security, but also for the job to be given to a company that must work, or else it would lose the know-how and the people”, President Milanović stated.
Speaking in addition to President Milanović were the president of the Nova Gradiška Town Council Dinka Matijević, the mayor Vinko Grgić, the first mayor of Nova Gradiška Ante Šolić, and the Brod-Posavina County Prefect Danijel Marušić. In the scope of the special session of the Town Council, public commendations and annual awards were presented to the most deserving individuals for their contribution to the Town’s development.
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 / Dario Andrišek