- Published: 08.10.2019.
PM issues message for Independence Day
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Monday issued a message on the occasion of Independence Day, saying that the courage and sacrifice of Croatian defenders in establishing the country's freedom and independence set an example of how one should work for an even better and more prosperous life of all its citizens.
"We are marking the 28th anniversary of the Croatian Parliament's session held in (the oil company) INA's main building, the day after the Banski Dvori (government headquarters) was bombed and when there was a threat of new airstrikes on Zagreb, when a decision was made to sever all state and legal ties between the Republic of Croatia and other republics and provinces of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After the expiry of a three-month moratorium, this helped implement the constitutional decision on independence and sovereignty, adopted by the parliament on 25 June 1991," the prime minister said in his message.
"This helped realise the centuries-old dream of the Croatian people about a sovereign, independent and democratic state, which today we are developing economically and strongly positioning internationally as a country that cares about its identity and its national interests," PM Plenkovic said, recalling in that context the leadership of Croatia's first president Franjo Tudjman and the heroism of Croatian defenders and others who gave their lives for the country's freedom in the Homeland War.
Recalling that Croatia had achieved all its strategic goals and that it was an active member of the European Union and NATO, PM Plenkovic said that after slightly more than six years of EU membership, Croatia faced the responsible duty of chairing the EU in the first half of 2020, which, he said, would be a very intensive period and unprecedented international engagement for the country.