Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic began his visit to New Zealand in Auckland on Friday by meeting with PM John Key, on which occasion the two countries signed a Working Holiday Scheme for young people.
Key organised a welcome ceremony for Milanovic outside the Auckland War Memorial Museum with an honour guard and traditional Maori dancing.
The two prime ministers laid wreaths in the Second World War Hall of Memory, after which delegations of the two countries signed the exchange scheme under which up to 100 people aged 18-30 will travel from Croatia to New Zealand to study or rest, paying for their stay by working there for up to one year.
According to New Zealand's media, Milanovic said the scheme reflected the good relations between the two countries thanks to the large Croatian population of New Zealand and their eminent figures. It is estimated that New Zealand has a Croatian population of 60,000.
After the talks, Key said the signing of the Working Holiday Scheme was very important.
A hundred young Croats will come to New Zealand every year and I hope the numbers will increase. They will come as their ancestors did many years ago and I hope they will fall in love with this country and stay here even longer, he said.
Asked about the 20 Croatian expatriates who protested against his policy outside Monash University in Melbourne on Thursday, Milanovic reiterated that that was democracy.
"It's easy to stay home, yet we went on a trip. I knew that I would be exposed to harsh actions and critical questioning by some people, but what I find encouraging is that the audience at the talk at Monash University was ten times more numerous than those who were protesting outside. They are free to protest, we agree to disagree."
Also today, Milanovic gave a talk at Auckland University and met with opposition leader David Cunliffe. He will meet with the Croatian community in Auckland on Saturday and in Wellington on Sunday, the last stop of his Oceania tour.
(Hina)
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