He also recalled the Homeland War, Croatia's first president Franjo Tudjman, the role of defenders, and the referendum at which the Croatian people opted for its own state.
"They are all symbols we must nurture today too, nearly three decades later, working on the advancement of our institutions, the strengthening of Croatian democracy, the strengthening of the economy, stable finances, giving prospects, chances and possibilities to all people so they can live in their country content and with dignity," said Plenkovic.
The response to the dissatisfaction of the young people who are emigrating should be joint efforts to create the prerequisites that will enable them to "see their chance" also in Croatia, he said, adding that the emigration trend coincides with the fact that Croatia has been a member of the European Union for five years, "where the barriers to free movement have disappeared."
I'm confident the mobility is two-way, that young people, after gaining experience, will start returning "and encouraging the homeland just as Croatian emigrants encouraged Croatia in every difficult period, being a key link and a generator of development and enthusiasm in the country," Plenkovic said.
Commenting on the three key messages the archbishop of Zagreb gave Croatian citizens during today's mass - to respect conscience, nurture hope, and love and stay in the homeland, Plenkovic said "that's something we all share" and that Bozanic's sermon "is an appeal to us all to work even more and with more purpose."
The current population trend has existed for decades and is present in many European countries of Croatia's size, and economic growth and a better life is just one aspect of it, Plenkovic said, adding that the overall climate and the will of those forming families to have more children "is something that has to enter the code of society and the people, and we should work on that."
Optimism is the key to a demographic revival, he said.
The parliament speaker remembered all those who built their lives into Croatia. "Today we remember president Tudjman, Croatian defenders, those people who had plenty of courage, strength and vision in the creation of our homeland."
We all wish Croatia to be as good as possible for our citizens, Jandrokovic said, calling on them not to leave Croatia as "this is our homeland, this is their homeland too, it's here that we must fight for a better life."
"I believe there's enough potential, I believe we can do better. We went through quite a difficult period of history since the 1990s, and now is the time to build the country in the best possible way."
He called for "togetherness, for mutual respect and tolerance, for patriotism as the basis of joint action in our state, but also for respecting differences. There are different world views, people look on life in different ways. However, this is our homeland and we must all build it together, through cooperation."
Text: Hina