Parliament marks the national holiday.
Parliament held a special session on Saturday celebrating the Statehood Day. President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner and Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković sent a message that Croatia had achieved a lot during the past quarter century and called for a consensus about fundamental national interests, reports Index.hr on June 25, 2016.
President Grabar Kitarović recalled the day 25 years ago, when Parliament adopted the historic decision on Croatia's sovereignty and independence. “Unarmed and without diplomatic network, faced with first terrorist attacks by the Greater Serbian aggression and pressures from the international community, which was still committed to the preservation of the former Yugoslav federation, we did not have much chance of success. But, we had the most important thing: firmly state leadership headed by President Franjo Tuđman”, said the President.
She stressed that Croatia in the coming period must distance itself from unnecessary ideological debates, especially regarding issues related to the Second World War. “I do not think that we should keep quiet about it. On the contrary, we are obliged to be open to historical truth, and all the victims deserve equal respect. The state has to be responsible and consistent in this, regardless of who is in power”, she said.
Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner said that 25 years ago Croatia embarked on a precarious path. “Our only weapon at that time was our determination and our willingness to preserve and defend newborn democracy, freedom and country”, said Reiner. As the main goal of today's Croatia, he listed faster economic growth and employment. “This is what Croatian citizens expect and this is something on which the future of this country depends”, said Reiner. “I call on everyone to make that future better and happier, just like we imagined 25 years ago”, concluded Reiner.
Prime Minister Orešković said that Croatia had achieved a lot in the past 25 years. “We have become a stable and functioning democracy, one of the guarantors of peace in this part of Europe and part of the European family – a member of NATO and the European Union. Membership in these organizations will help us successfully overcome the challenges that will come – the challenges of globalization, financial and economic crisis, a new wave of refugees, and political instability in our neighbourhood”, said Orešković.
The Prime Minister stressed, however, that there was still a lot that Croatia had to achieve. “Today we have our state, but we must invest even greater efforts in building its institutions. We must insist that institutions operate quickly and efficiently”, said Orešković. “Now we can be proud of what we have achieved in the past 25 years. We have managed to defend, liberate and rebuild our homeland in the most difficult circumstances. We who have inherited this beautiful country have to be worthy of the sacrifices that the sons and daughters of our country gave for its freedom”, said the Prime Minister.
In addition to high government officials, the session was attended by MPs, representatives of the judiciary, army, police and veterans associations, religious dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of universities, cultural and other public institutions and organizations.
