Croatia in Focus, br. 39, October 2008

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UN General Assembly

ISSN 1334-7047 CROATIAN GOVERNMENT BULLETIN

VOLUME XII OCTOBER 2008 | No. 39

Interview:Robert BradtkeDeputy PM Kosor in ChinaSafety without compromise



Factsandgures

Republic of Croaa

Adriac SeaThe Adriac sea got its name from

an ancient port of the same name.The Adriac spans from the Balkanto the Apennine peninsula.The part belonging to the Republicof Croaa is the eastcoast whichextends all the way from Prevlakain the south to cape Savudrijain the west,including all islands,islets and clis along the coast,andthe archipelago of Palagruza (thenumber of islands, islets and clis ismore than 1700).This is a unique area in Europefor cruising with motor boats,speedboats, or sailboats, but alsofor enjoying the underwater world.

Geographical posionCroaa extends from the furthest

eastern edges of the Alps in thenorth-west to the Pannonian

lowlands and the banks of theDanube in the east; its central region

is covered by the Dinara mountainrange, and its southern parts extend

to the coast of the Adriac Sea.

Zagreb

OsijekRijeka

Split

Zadar

Dubrovnik

Land area56.542 sq. km

Territorial waters area31.000 sq. km

Length of coastline(with islands)

5.790 km

Length of terrestrial border1.777,7 km

Highest peakDinara (1.831 m above sea level)

Number of islands1.185 (66 inhabited)

Populaon(census 2001.)

4.381,352Capital

Zagreb(779.145 inhabitants)

ReligionsRoman Catholic, Serbian Orthodox,

Islamic, Jewish, Protestant and others

Currencykuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa)

LanguageCroaan



Croaa In FocusOctober2008 | No. 39

ublisher

vernment of the Republic of Croaa,

ce for Public Relaons

000 Zagreb, Trg sv Marka 2

: +385 1 45 69 248,

x: +385 1 45 69 393, 63 03 022ww.vlada.hr

itor in chief

ndra Puhovski

[email protected]

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nja Milinović, Suzana Kovačević,

sna Sruk Vlah, Dubravka Belas,

a Ćosić, Igor Žarković,

arna Mance, Paula Popravak,

sna Lončar, Daniela Valić,

tonija Gelo, Antun Čajkovac

anslaon

đana Butković

oofreader

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t editor

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ion

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M P R E S S U M CONTENT

Croaa’s internaonal posion beer than ever

Address by Croaan Prime Minister at 63rd sessionof the UN General Assembly

PM’s bilateral meengs in New York

Interview with Robert Bradtke

Safety without compromise

Deputy Prime Minister Kosor in China

Closer economic relaons betweenthe Czech Republic and Croaa

Croaa and Estonia to conquer new markets together

News Flash

Renewal works begin onVinkovci - Tovarnik - state border railway line

European police ocers on the Adriac coast

Days of Faust Vrančić

STEĆAK fading away tombstone

Fesval Summer

Naonal Park Kopački Rit

Magical Fužine

Sport News Flash

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CROATIAN GOVE RNME NT BULLE TIN

Introducon

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the new edion of Croaa in Focus.

Prime Minister dr Ivo Sanader was on an ocial and working visit to the United States of America,during which he held many bilateral and other meengs and aended the UN General Assembly.We bring you the overview of the visit in this issue.

We talked with the U.S. Ambassador to Croaa Robert A. Bradtke about the relaons betweenthe two countries and other current subjects.

Since Croaa’s priories are judicial reform, protecon of fundamental human rights and ghtagainst corrupon, new heads have been appointed at key posions in the Ministry of Interiorand the Ministry of Jusce in order to successfully implement all the necessary reforms. We bringyou the interview with the new ministers at the beginning of their mandate.

We also bring you the overview of Deputy PM Jadranka Kosor’s visit to China, where she aendedthe opening of the Paralympic Games.

In the part of the bullen dedicated to our cies and natural beaues you can read about Fužine,irresisble and picturesque desnaon, which is be coming more and more aracve to visitorsfrom all over the world, as well as about Nature Park Kopački rit, a unique natural treasure.

In the end we bring you the story about Croaan athletes’ success on both Olympic and

Paralympic Games.

Enjoy reading!

Zlatko Mehun



CROATIA’SEXCEPTIONALSUCCESSAt the Global Creave LeadershipSummit that was held in NewYork and organised by LouiseBlouin Foundaon, Croaan PMIvo Sanader was talking aboutthe challenges and opportuniesfor Croaa resulng from glo-balisaon, about the dynamicsof Croaan economy, its involve-ment in the world economic af-fairs, as well as about Croaa’saccession to NATO and the EU.

Louise Blouin MacBain, thefounder and the president of theFoundaon, pointed out that ˝Croaa’s exceponal success˝ in

the post-war renewal, the imple-mentaon of reforms, economicdevelopment, and imminentaccession to NATO and the EU,were the reason for inving PMSanader to take part in the sum-mit.

As the keynote speaker in the dis-cussion on ˝Globalisaon: Econo-my, Involvement, Dynamics˝, PMSander described Croaa’s expe-riences in facing challenges andopportunies resulng from glo-balisaon, highlighng Croaa’scommitment to the principlesof freedom, democracy, humanrights protecon, the rule of law,and market economy.He said he was convinced that byfollowing these principles global

process could be used for im-provement of the internaonalsystem based on the principlesof cooperaon, rather than con-frontaon, involvement, ratherthan marginalisaon, economicdynamics, rather than bureau-

crac regulaon, free trade,rather than proteconism, de-mocracy, rather than authoritar-ian populism.

He emphasised, among otherthings, that Croaa was boost-ing its security, as a precondionfor its progress, and that it wascontribung to the global secu-rity as well, since it was the UNSecurity Council member and aparcipant in 15 UN, NATO, andEU peace missions.

Croaan PM said that Croaawas to become a full NATO mem-ber next year and that it was tocomplete accession negoaonswith the EU.He also menoned measureswhich the Government was un-dertaking for improving businesscondions, opening new entre-preneurial zones, combangmisuse of new technologies, anddeveloping knowledge-basedeconomy. Mr Sanader also talkedabout Croaa’s acve role instrengthening stability, coopera-on, free trade, and prosperity inthe region.

The Prime Minister concludedthat ˝as a member of the UN Se-curity Council, and the soon-to-be member of NATO and the EU,Croaa will be ready to defend itsposion, fully aware that its ownsecurity and prosperity will beprotected only if it successfullypromotes internaonal stabilityand global progress˝.

AFRICA’S PROBLEM ISWORLD’S PROBLEMAS WELLAending the UN Summit on Af -rica’s Development, on Monday,Croaan PM Ivo Sanader advo-cated increasing aid to Africa.˝It is necessary to signicantlyincrease aid to Africa, especiallyto Sub-Saharan Africa, if we wantto achieve the planned goals. Weare well aware that current level

of aid to Africa is not sucientfor the full aainment of UN Mil-lennium goals˝, said PM Sanderin his speech.He expressed Croaa’s willing-ness to provide its help to answerthe needs of Africa, for examplethrough dierent funds and UNprogrammes. He pointed out thatCroaa was parcipang in vepeace missions in Africa, fromSudan to West Sahara, and thatit had already planned to send itsforces to the EU mission in Chad.

˝We are all interested in the de -velopment and progress of Af -rica. It is a big connent and itsproblems are the world’s prob-lems as well. The world cannotturn a blind eye to Africa’s prob-lems˝, said Croaan PM.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the EU Chairman, FrenchPresident Nicholas Sarkozy,President of the European Com-

mission Jose Manuel Barroso,and many other world states-men took part in the summit onAfrica.

CONGRATULATIONSTO CROATIA FOR ITSROLE IN UN SECURITYCOUNCILPM Sanader, together with theheads of delegaons of other UNmember states, was a guest of USPresident Bush at the tradionalrecepon at the Waldorf-AstoriaHotel in New York.

˝It was a very cordial appoint-ment˝, said PM Sanader. He add -ed that he and President Bushwere, together with their wives,

refreshing the memory of Bush’srecent visit to Zagreb.President Bush, his wife Laura,State Secretary Condoleeza Riceand Naonal Security AdvisorStephen Hadley rememberedtheir visit to Zagreb, said PM Sa -nader.˝I thanked him for the messageshe sent to Croaa in his speechin Zagreb, for the support, and

Croaan PrimeMinister Ivo Sanaderwas on an ocialand working visit tothe United States of America from 21st to27th September 2008.During his visitPM Sanader heldmany bilateral andother meengs, andhe aended the UN

General Assembly,where he held aspeech.

Croaa’s internaonalposion beer than ever

PM Sanader with Ban Ki-moon

OCTOB ER 2 0 0 8 | N o. 3 9 7N o. 3 9 | OCTOB ER 2 0 0 8

PM SANADER IN NEW YORK PM SANADER IN NEW YORK



I said that I expected that theUSA would be one of the rstcountries to rafy the Protocolon Croaa’s accession to NATO˝,said Sanader, and added that hehad invited President Bush for anunocial visit to Croaa at theend of his presidenal mandate,especially to the Croaan coast,which he hadn’t seen during hisvisit in April.

Prime Minister Sanader talked toCondoleeza Rice, Stephen Hadleyand other government funcon-aries, but he especially singledout his meeng with the UN Sec-

retary General, Ban Ki-moon. ̋ Hesincerely congratulated Croaa,conveying the impression of theUN that Croaa acvely contrib -uted to and cooperated with theSecurity Council˝, he said.Prime Minister’s wife Mirjana Sa-nader aended the symposiumorganised by the First Lady, LauraBush, for the heads of states andgovernments gathered at the UNGeneral Assembly Session.The symposium ˝ Building aFoundaon for Freedom˝ wasdedicated to advancing globalliteracy.

CONFLICTSMEDIATION ANDSETTLEMENT

Croaan PM Ivo Sanader aend -ed the UN Security Council the-mac discussion with the topicof Mediaon and Selementof Conicts, at which he talkedabout Croaa’s experience andexamples of peace missions inother countries.˝ As proved by Croaa’s experi -ence, mediaon and selementof conicts are part of preven -ve measures, peace eorts andpeace building, and can be suc -cessfully involved in the UN mis-sion mandates that the Councilapproves˝, said PM Sanader.The experience of the UN peace

mission (UNTAES) in CroaanDanube region in the 1990sshows just how much the UN canachieve within a well dened,realisc and feasible mandate.Reintegraon of Eastern Croaawas common success enjoyedby my country and the UN alike,said PM Sanade,r and added thatCroaa was ready to share ex-perse and know-how that it hadgained in that process.

CLINTON GLOBALINITIATIVECroaan Prime Minister Ivo Sa-nader aended the annual meet-ing of the Clinton Global Iniavein New York, the meeng thatgathered some 80 present andformer heads of states, some ten

Nobel Peace Prize-winners, andhundreds of leading businessmenand other eminent persons.This year’s meeng of the ClintonGlobal Iniave was dedicatedto extremely important issueslike energy and climac change,health-care, educaon, and theght against poverty.

During the meeng, PM Sanadermet with former US President BillClinton, who welcomed Croaa’seorts in accessing NATO and theEU, and together they recalledClinton’s visit to Zagreb, shortlyaer the signing of the Dayton

Agreement.

Croaan PM Ivo Sanader usedthe opportunity to make smalltalk with Jordanian queen RaniaAl-Abdullah, Finnish PresidentTarja Hallonen, and other states-men and public persons.

MILLENNIUMDEVELOPMENTGOALSOn the third day of the sessionof the UN General Assembly theCroaan Prime Minister aend-ed the meeng about the Millen -nium Development Goals.In his keynote address to thefunconaries, UN Secretary Gen-eral Ban Ki-moon pointed outthat the world statesmen in 2000had agreed on eight goals thathad been framed in the Millen-

nium Declaraon, and the dead -line for achieving the goals wasthe year 2015.

The eight Millennium goalsinclude eradicang extremepoverty and hunger, achievinguniversal primary educaon,promong ender equality, re-ducing child mortality, improv-ing maternal health, combanginfecous diseases, ensuring en-vironmental sustainability, andestablishing global partnership

for development.

By taking part in round-table dis-cussion on educaon and healththat was held within the meengabout the UN Millennium Devel-opment Goals, PM Sanader saidthat a few years ago his countryhad started a transformaonfrom a recipient country to acountry that was providing helpto others at both internaonaland regional level.By signing and accepng the UNMillennium Declaraon the Re-public of Croaa commied itself to achieving all the goals in me

– by 2015.It has a signicant importancefor our country since aainingthe naonal millennium goalspartly corresponds with the pri-ories connected to the processof accessing the EU – said in hisspeech PM Sanader. He also saidthat his country was ready tohelp others by sharing its devel-opment experience with othersas much as possible.

CROATIA - RELIABLEAND RESPONSIBLEPEACE PARTNERAt the 63rd session of the UNGeneral Assembly Croaan PrimeMinister Ivo Sanader conrmedCroaa’s commitment to acvelycontribute to mullateral eortsaimed at addressing global chal-lenges and assuming an increas-

ingly important role on the in-ternaonal scene, as evidencedby its membership of the UN Se-curity Council, the nal phase in

joining NATO and the EU, its par-cipaon in een peace mis -sions, and its connued eortsaimed at fostering stability andcooperaon in the region.

Poinng out that this was the rstme Croaa was parcipang ina session of the UN General As-sembly as an elected member of

the Security Council, PM Sanadersaid that Croaa was assumingmore important role on the in-ternaonal scene and remainedacvely involved in the eortsto foster stability in SoutheastEurope.“As a member of the SecurityCouncil, Croaa will connue toact as a responsible partner com-mied to the common eorts inmaintaining and building peacethrough the promoon of humanrights and democracy, the ghtfor the eradicaon of povertyand injusce, and the promo-on of eecve mullateralism”,

highlighted PM Sanader.

“Today Croaa is in an advanced

stage of talks on EU membership,determined to complete them in2009, and it expects to becomea member of NATO at the nextNATO summit in spring 2009”,said PM Sanader.

He added that by implemenngreforms, Croaa had changedfrom a recipient of assistance to aparcipant in internaonal peaceand stability, with its troops be-ing engaged in thirteen UN peaceoperaons on four connents,

in the NATO mission in Afghani -stan, and in the EU peace missionin Chad. By taking part in vari-ous UN funds and programmesCroaa has conrmed its capabil-ity to support the acvies of theUN in numerous elds.PM Sanader welcomed the mark-ing of the 60th anniversary of theUniversal Declaraon of HumanRights and recent eorts of theUN in that eld. He announcedCroaa’s candidacy for the mem-bership of the Human RightsCouncil in the period from 2010to 2013.

“During the past decade we com-pleted the transformaon into

the centre of stability, security

and cooperaon in South EastEurope”, said PM Sanader, cingas an example of Croaa’s con-nued involvement in buildingregional stability the RegionalCooperaon Council, headed byCroaan diplomat Hido Biščevićas the Secretary General.

Conrming Croaa’s commit-ment to the UN goals PM Sa -nader reminded that the 120thanniversary of the birth of An-drija Štampar, the founder of the





World Health Organisaon andthe rst president of the WHOAssembly, was to be marked thatyear.

PM Sanader ended his speech,delivered in English and in French,by quong Pope Benedict XVI,who in his address to the UN Gen-eral Assembly in 2007 said thatthe founding principles of the UN

– desire for peace, respect for thedignity of a person, humanitariancooperaon and assistance – ex-pressed the just aspiraons of the human spirit and constutedideals which should underpin in-

ternaonal relaons.

SANADER GETSACKNOWLEDGEMENTFOR URGINGTOLERANCE ANDANTI-SEMITISMAs a part of Croaa’s missionto the UN in New York CroaanPrime Minister Ivo Sanader metthe representaves of Jewish Or-ganisaon B’’nai Brith and An-Difaminaon League in the USA.The representaves of the Jewishorganisaons thanked CroaanPM Sanader for constantly ad-vocang the promoon of toler-ance, dialogue, and ght againstan-Semism.During the meeng they weretalking about the return of prop -erty, and PM Sanader said that

this issue would be seled in linewith legal provisions.

The representaves of Jewishorganisaons congratulated PMSanader for signicant progressthat the Republic of Croaa hadmade since gaining its independ-ence, being respected and es-teemed member of the interna-onal community. In that respectthey talked about the most im-portant issues related to interna-onal peace and stability.

AMERICAN CROATSTHE BRIDGE OFCOOPERATIONBETWEEN CROATIAAND USAOn the last day of the visit to NewYork Croaan Prime Minister Sa-nader had a very amiable meet-ing with the representaves of the Croaan community in NewYork that was held in the faciliesof the Permanent Mission at the UN.The meeng gathered some50 reputable members of theCroaan community, who workand live in New York, mostly theowners of private companies andpublic gures.The third meeng of the mem -bers of Croaan community inNew York with PM Sanader wasaended by the priests of theCroaan Catholic Mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Thisyear the mission is marking the95th anniversary of its existence.PM Sanader informed the Ameri-can Croats about the currentevents in the country, Croaa’sposion on the internaonalscene, its accession to NATO andthe compleon of the negoa-ons with the EU in the nex t year,about his acvies at the sessionof the UN General Assembly, andabout some 20 bilateral meet-ings with the world’s statesmenthat he held.He stressed that Croaa hadbeen ghng for its independ-

ence only 18 years ago, while to-day it was a respectable memberof the ˝world government˝, thatis the member of the UN SecurityCouncil.“Members of the Croaan Di-aspora are the ones who provid-ed a signicant contribuon toachieving these goals. Aer theyhad provided aid in humanitar-ian and other terms, today theyhave a big role in spreading theCroaan all over the world”, saidSanader.

He also highlighted exceponalcontribuon of the AmericanCroats as the ˝bridge of coopera-on˝ to strengthening American-Croaan relaons so today thetwo countries are friends andpartners.In parcular he singled outPresident Bush’s historic visit toCroaa in April, and this week’sracaon of the agreement onCroaa’s accession to NATO inthe American Senate.He pointed out that, at the endof his second presidenal term,President Bush had done a lot forCroaa.

Mr. President,

Disnguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would rst like to congratulate

H.E. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann

on assuming the presidency of the

General Assembly in its 63rd Ses-

sion, as well as thank H.E. SrdanKerim for the excellent work he

demonstrated during his presi -

dency of the General Assembly in

the preceding year.

As we gather here once

again to address the most

signicant issues on the

global agenda, the General

Assembly opening session

reminds us of our shared

vision of the UN as the em -

bodiment of a family of na-

ons.

It reminds us of the constant

need for an eecve mul -

lateral eort to address

global challenges and to

maintain and build peace

in a range of conict zones

and post-conict sociees

- searching for soluons

within the rule based in-

ternaonal order, through

the promoon of freedom,

democracy, development and the respect for human

rights.

It also gives us the opportu-

nity to take stock on our achieve-

ments, as well as to redouble our

commitment to world peace and

progress.

This is a commitment that Croaa

and its people accepted even be-

fore our independence. A commit -

ment to strengthen internaonal

cooperaon through eecve

mullateral organizaons for ad -

vancing peace and security, fa-

cilitang development and com-

bang poverty, protecng our

environment, eradicang diseases

and promong public health.

As a renewal of that commitment,

we celebrate this year the 120th

anniversary of the birth of AndrijaStampar, a founding father of the

World Health Organizaon and

the rst President of the WHO As-

sembly.

In his inaugural speech in 1948,

Stampar clearly stated that the

Organizaon should become “a

pioneer of world peace and pro-

mote understanding among na-

ons”.

Stampar’s words are also true for

the broader family of UN instu-

ons.

His words are a tesmony to the

lasng commitment of Croaa

and its people to the promoon

of peace through internaonal

cooperaon.

Since our independence, Croaa’s

leaders have come every year be-

fore this Assembly to renew thissolemn commitment.

Even in the most dicult of mes,

when our own existence was at

peril and collecve security

guarantees vanished, we

sll came to New York to ex -

press Croaa’s adherence to

the values enshrined in the

Charter of the United Na-

ons.

Croaa has come a long

way since those tesng days

of struggle. Yet, our deter -

minaon in pursuing the

UN Charter principles has

remained intact.

We have developed a stable

democracy and a growing

economy, but we have not

forgoen those brave men

and women who struggled

for and achieved our inde-

pendence, as well as those

men and women of good

will who, under the ag of the United Naons, assisted

us in our me of need.

With that convicon and

determinaon, with that sincere

sense of gratude and a genuine

vocaon for cooperaon, I come

today before this Assembly to

share with you Croaa’s views on

the most pressing and relevant

issues for our internaonal com-

munity.

On this occasion, though, Croaa

is for the rst me in the posion

Address by Croaan PrimeMinister at 63rd session of the

UN General Assembly

RATIFICATION OFNATO ACCESSIONPROTOCOL FORCROATIAOn 25th September 2008, dur-

ing PM Sanader’s stay in New

York, the American Senate unani-

mously accepted the racaon

of NATO accession protocols for

Croaan and Albania. Thus the

USA has become the third NATO

member state that, aer Hungary

and Latvia, raed the protocols.

The Croaan PM said he was par-

cularly pleased by the fact that

the USA had been the third coun-

try to rafy the Protocol.

˝I want to express my great sas-

facon that the US Senate raed

the protocol. It is a symbol of part-

nership and friendship between

the USA and Croaa˝, added PM

Sanader.

He said that the process of ra-

caon was developing quite fast

and added he was hopeful that the

majority of NATO members would

rafy the Protocol by the end of

the year, while the rest would do

the same in the rst three months

of 2009, so Croaa could parci-

pate in the next NATO summit as

a full member.





to address these issues from a dif -

ferent angle - that of an elected

member of the Security Council.

Membership in the Security Coun-

cil is not only a great honor for

Croaa, but also a great responsi -

bility we have been preparing for

in the last years.

We aach equal importance to

our membership in NATO and we

look forward to the celebraon of

our accession to the Alliance at

the next summit in Spring 2009,

which will also mark the 60th an-

niversary of NATO.

Through reforms, we have suc-

cessfully turned our country from

a consumer to a net contributor

to internaonal peace and secu-

rity. Today, Croaan forces are

engaged in 13 UN peacekeeping

operaons in four dierent con-

nents.

Our men and women in uniform

also serve in the NATO-led op-

eraon in Afghanistan and the EU

operaon in Chad, in accordance

with the relevant UN Security

Council resoluons.

In all these conicted areas, our

servicemen have proved their

dedicaon and professionalism.

However, probably their most val -

uable contribuon is their ability

to share with the local populaon

Croaa’s own experience in over -

coming the consequences of war

and taking the road of reconcili -

aon, cooperaon and develop-

ment.

Mr. President, Excellencies,

As a member of the Security Council, Croaa will connue to

work as a responsible and dedi -

cated partner in the common ef -

fort to maintain and build peace

through the promoon of human

rights and democracy, the ght

for the eradicaon of poverty and

injusce, and the advancement of

eecve mullateralism.

In this, Croaa will be guided by

a sense of responsibility, solidarity

and good faith. We hold that ef -

fecve mullateral acon, includ -

ing with regional organizaons, is

our best guarantee in safeguard -

ing these values.

While we see progress in advanc-

ing these values in some trou -

bled areas of our world, such as

Afghanistan, Iraq and the Mid -

dle East, we have also witnessed

other conicts arising, such as in

Georgia.

In this respect, we welcome the

six-points agreement brokered by

the EU Presidency in August, as

well as the implemenng agree-

ment from September.

We are also aware of the fact that

the failure to address these issues

in a mullateral context of coop -

eraon could lead us into old par -

adigms of confrontaon. At the

same me, the lack of audacity to

confront them could endanger the

democrac gains obtained with

the end of the Cold War.

These gains should be preserved,

as they themselves derive from

the fundamental principles ema-

nang from the UN Charter.

We should not forget that the

UN stands for the common fun -

damental values of freedom,

equality, solidarity, tolerance, and

respect for human rights. In this

regard, the suering of the people

of the Sudan, parcularly in Dar -

fur, Somalia, and Myanmar, are

also stark reminders of the gap

between the goals this Organiza-

on has set and the realies on

the ground.

Croaa welcomes joint interna-

onal eorts to address the ques-on of agrant violaons to inter -

naonal humanitarian law and

human riahts throuah established

internaonal mechanisms and

instuons like the Internaonal

Criminal Court. The ICC provides

a vital recourse to jusce in situa-

ons where naonal governments

cannot or will not address these

issues themselves.

Human rights and the rule of law

are essenal building blocks for

a more peaceful, just and pros-

perous world. This year we are

marking the 60th anniversary of

the Universal Declaraon of Hu-

man Rights. As a member of the

Security Council, Croaa is dedi -

cated to advancing these rights to

those most vulnerable in conict:

civilians, notably women and chil -

dren.

We are pleased by the fact that

this year the Council adopted a

strong and acon oriented reso -

luon addressing the disturbing

pracce of sexual violence as a

method of warfare.

We also connue to work on ad -

vancing the cause of prevenng

children to become part of armed

conicts, believing that the reali -

es on the ground require strong -

er Council involvement.

For this and many other reasons,

Croaa has decided to present its

candidature for membership in

the Human Rights Council for the

period 2010-2013.


We live in a world that has signi -

cantly redened the tradional

noon of threats to internaonal

peace and security.

In an increasingly interconnected

world, global threats are taking

many forms.

Terrorism, poverty, disease, cli -

mate change, environmental deg-

radaon and rising food prices

command that we work together,

as only a common vision and col -

lecve acon, implemented in the

spirit of solidarity and responsibil -

ity, can counter these challenges.Terrorism aempts to undermine

the core values of the modern

world, and poses a serious chal -

lenge to our security, to the basic

principles of democrac sociees

and to the rights and freedoms of

our cizens.

Terrorist acts are criminal in na -

ture and cannot be jused under

any circumstances. Croaa appre-

ciates and fully supports all eorts

in the global struggle against ter -

rorism, within the UN system and

beyond.

Since the beginning of this year,

Croaa has been chairing the

Security Council Counter Terror -

ism Commiee, which was es-

tablished in the immediate aer -

math of the devastang terrorist

aacks against the United States

and the whole democrac World

on September 11, 2001.

We have assumed this responsi -

bility with utmost seriousness and

are working towards moving the

Commiee forward by focusing

on concrete results and achieving

realisc objecves.

I would also like to reiterate the

importance Croaa aaches to

the Global Counter-Terrorism

Strategy as one of the primary in-

ternaonal documents in the glo-

bal ght against terrorism. Croaa

is also acve on the regional level,

presiding over CODEXTER within

the Council of Europe.

In overcoming global threats and

challenges, iniaves such as the

Alliance of Civilizaons can also

act as a smulus, augmenng mu-

tual respect, understanding and

cooperaon amongst States and

peoples across cultures and reli -

gions. As the Alliance’s main goal

is to counter intolerance, religious

fundamentalism and extremism,

Croaa is pleased to be a part of

this ever growing group.

Our dialogue and cooperaon

should also be directed with more

emphasis on combang poverty

and establishing a global partner -

ship for development.In this regard, Croaa welcomes

the UN Secretary General’s lead -

ership in calling for acon to

make progress for the poorest of

the poor, the so-called “boom

billion”.

We also believe that it is essenal

for governments to support the

delivery of commitments made

with the aim of geng the Millen-

nium Development Goals back on

track. Specic arrangements be-

tween donor and recipient coun-

tries on MDG implementaon

should be put into acon through

a human centered approach to

the key themes of the MDG’s, or

more precisely health and educa-

on, the environment, and for the

eradicaon of poverty.

In this sense, we recognize the

importance of mobilizing nan-

cial resources for development, as

well as their eecve use in devel -

oping countries.

The Monterrey consensus remains

the foundaon of the global part -

nership for development and

Croaa believes in a posive out -

come of the Review Conference

which will take place in Doha later

this year. In this context, Croaa

will honor the obligaons and g-

ures established pursuant to its

status as a candidate for mem-

bership in the European Union.

Trough its transion process

Croaa has emerged from that of

a recipient country to a country

whose own experience and re-

sources has enabled it to become

an internaonal donor.

As a contributor to various UN

funds and programs, Croaa has

conrmed its capability to sup-

port the acvies of the UN in

numerous elds, and will connue

to do so through sharing our ex -

periences and assisng those in

needs.

However, while Croaa increases

its contribuon to global progress

and takes a more asserve role

in the internaonal arena, it also

remains acve and commied to fostering stability in South East

Europe.

Our membership in the UN Se-

curity Council and our advanced

phase of integraon in NATO and

the EU, has not led us to turn our

back to our neighbors.

On the contrary, it has enabled us

to redouble our eorts in preserv -

ing stability and maximizina the

benets of Deace.

Through iniaves such as the

establishment of the Regional

Cooperaon Council (RCC), head -

quartered in Sarajevo and with a

top Croaan diplomat, Mr. Hido

Biscevic, as its rst Secretary Gen-

eral, we have acvely contributed

to regional stability.

However, there is sll unnished

business in our neighboring re-

gion. Let me menon one: Bosnia

and Herzegovina. The foundaons

for stability in this country reside

in the respect for equal rights for

all three constuent and sover -

eign people, Croats, Bosniaks and

Serbs.

The Republic of Croaa stands

ready to support and assist Bosnia

and Herzegovina, as well as all the

countries in the region, through

an acve policy of cooperaon.

Such cooperaon paves the way

for long-standing security and

prosperity in South East Europe.

And on that way, Croaa will con -

nue to back the Euro-Atlanc as-

piraons of all its neighbors.

On that way, Croaa will renew

its determinaon to foster peace,

democracy and tolerance, thus

honoring our commitment to the

Charter of the United Naons.

Last April, from this very oor,

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI,

reminded us that “The founding

principles of the Organizaon -

the desire for peace, the quest for

jusce, respect for the dignity of

the person, humanitarian coop-

eraon and assistance - expressthe just aspiraons of the human

spirit, and constute ideals which

should underpin internaonal re-

laons”.


We should always remember

these ideals as we connue to

work together on exploing the

full potenal of the United Na-

ons in creang a more peace-

ful, prosperous and democrac

world.





tocol on Croaa’s accession toNATO. Aer Hungary, Latvia wasthe second country whose Parlia-ment raed the protocol.Lithuanian President ValdasAdamkus told PM Sanaderthat Lithuania fully supportedCroaa’s accession to the EU.PM Sanader and President Ad-amkus agreed that next to goodpolical relaons, more dynamic

economic coop-eraon is need-ed.

PM Sanaderalso met withthe high ocialsfrom SoutheastEurope, includ-ing Macedo-nian President

Branko Crvenk-ovski and Presi-dent of Bosnia-H e r z e g o v i n aHaris Silajdžić.PM Sanader andTurkish Presi-dent AbdullahGul agreed thattheir coun-

tries were developing good andfriendly relaons which could bestrengthened in the eld of eco -nomic cooperaon.In this respect, the Croaan

Prime Minister and the TurkishPresident agreed to intensify bi-lateral cooperaon by holdingthe meeng of joint commieefor economic issues.PM Sanader and Deputy PM andMinister of Foreign Aairs of Lux-embourg Jean Asselborn talkedabout of the EU accession nego-aons and Asselborn conrmed

that Luxembourg fully supportedCroaa in compleng the nego -aons in 2009.They also talked about the proc-ess of racaon of the protocolon Croaa’s accession to NATOand Croaa’s admission to NATOby spring 2009. At the summit inStrasbourg and Kehl the 60th an -niversary of the North-Atlanc

During his stay in the USA PMSanader held many bilateral

meengs with dierent states-men and ocials, and other repu-table persons form the public life.

PM Sanader held talks with Aus-trian President Heinz Fischer,who once again emphasised thatAustrian fully supports Croaa onits way to the EU membership. Atthe meeng of PM Sanader andPresident of the European Com-mission Jose Manuel Barrosoconrmed that Croaa was mak-ing progress in its EU accessionnegoaons.

PM Sanader also met with QatariEmir Sheikh Hamad bin Kalifa Al-Thani. On that occasion PM Sa-nader connued discussion onbilateral cooperaon projectslaunched in 2004 when CroaanPresident Stjepan Mesić visitedQatar. The Croaan Prime Minis-ter and the sheik concluded that

closer bilateraleconomic coop-eraon was of mutual interest.

At the meeng,PM Sanader andM o n t e n e g r i nPresident FilipVujanović con-rmed they wereready to developbilateral relaonson the principlesof cooperaonand respect fori n t e r n a t i o n a llaw. They alsodiscussed the is-sues of peace andsecurity in South-east Europe.

Chilean Presi-dent Michelle Bachelet saidthat Croaan-Chilean relaons

were good and friendly thanksto Croaan community in Chile.PM Sanader also met with Icelan-dic PM Geir Haarde to whom hethanked for Iceland’s support forCroaa’s accession to NATO, and

PM Haarde announced that bythe end of the year Iceland wasgoing to rafy the agreement onCroaa’s accession to NATO.

Croaan Prime Minister also metwith European Commissioner Be-nita Ferrero-Waldner to discussCroaa’s posion at the interna-onal forums and the Europeancommon foreign and securitypolicy. Sanader met Latvian Pres-ident Valdis Zatlers thanking himfor a quick racaon of the pro -

PM’s bilateral meengs in New York


PM Sanader with Valdas Adamkus

PM Sanader with Abdullah Güll PM Sanader with Jan Pieter Balkenende

PM Sanader with Jean Asselborn

PM Sanader with Gordon Brown




Alliance will be marked.Sanader also informed his Mal-tese colleague Lawrence Gonziabout the course of accession ne-goaons. Gonzi shared with Sa-nader the experience of Malta’anegoaon process, especiallyconcerning the sheries policy.Moreover, he conrmed thatMalta fully supported the com-pleon of Croaa’s negoaonswith the EU in 2009.PM Sander was talking to theDutch PM Jan Pieter Balkenendeabout Croaa’s EU entry talks.The Dutch prime minister sup-ported Croaa’s admission tothe EU.Croaan Prime Minister met with

Bulgarian Prime Minister SergejStanišev who informed Sanaderthat the Bulgarian Parliamentwas to ratify the Memorandumon Croaa’s accession to the EU.He said the ratification couldtake place in late October, dur-ing Sanader’s official visit toBulgaria.PM Stanišev highlighted Bulgar-ian support for the completionof Croatia’s EU accession talks.Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sa-nader and his British counter-part, Gordon Brown, recalled theirrecent meeng in London.

anader with Sergei Stanišev

PM Sanader with Michelle Bachelet

PM Sanader with Geir Haarde PM Sanader with Lawrence GonziPM Sanader with José Manuel Barroso

PM Sanader with Filip Vujanović


PM Sanader with general Wesley Clark PM Sanader with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani PM Sanader with Heinz Fischer

PM Sanader with Bono Vox




In April 2009 Croaa is expect-ing to enter NATO alliance, it is

soon to enter the EU, and is deter-mined to complete the accessingnegoaons by 2009.During the stay in New York atthe 63rd session of the UN Gen-eral Assembly, the Croaan del-egaon headed by the Presidentof the Croaan Government dr.sc. Ivo Sanader held many usefulbilateral meengs and success-fully lobbied for the benet of theCroaan internaonal polical in-terests.At those days, the U.S. Senateraed the Protocol on NATO en-largement to Croaa, and became

the third country to rafy the pro-tocol.We talked to the U.S. Ambassadorto Zagreb, Mr Robert AnthonyBradtke, about the menonedsign of a friendship and a partner-ship, which represents a big stepin the overall process of Croaa’saccession to NATO, and aboutother current topics, as well.

During the recent PM Sanader’s

stay in Washington the USA ra-

ed the Protocol on Croaa’s

membership to NATO, and be-

came the third out of 26 NATO

members to bring about the ra-

caon. That moment presents

a sign of a friendship and a

partnership. What will Croaa’s

membership to that alliance

mean for the NATO and Euro At-

lanc integraon?

Croaa’s membership in NATOis a further step towards thegoal of a Europe that is whole,free, and at peace. We hope thatCroaa’s joining NATO will send astrong signal to all the countriesof Southeastern Europe that wewant them to be part of the Eu-ro-Atlanc community. Croaa

will also bring new capabilies toNATO, as the Alliance faces chal-lenges around the world, includ -ing helping the people of Afghani-stan build a secure democracy.Finally, we expect that Croaa, ashas been the case with other newmembers of NATO, will bring re -newed energy and commitmentto the Alliance.

How do you comment on the

process of the racaon? Is

Croaa going to become a full

member before the NATO sum-

mit in April 2009?

Our goal is mely racaon of the accession protocols by allNATO members so that Croaawill be a full member of NATO bythe next NATO Summit in April2009, which will mark NATO’s60th anniversary. We hope thatthe acon by our Senate will en -courage other countries to speedup their racaons. While thisprocess can take me, I believe itcan be completed by April of nextyear.

You took over in the AmericanEmbassy in Zagreb in the mid of

the past Government’s mandate

headed by PM Sanader. How

would you evaluate American-

Croaan relaon at this mo-

ment?

This is a very good moment to bethe U.S. Ambassador to Croaa. Of course, the high point of my mein Zagreb was President Bush’svisit last April. That visit demon-strated how much the UnitedStates values Croaa as a friend

and partner. However, there is sllmore we can do to broaden anddeepen our relaons. PresidentBush and Prime Minister Sanaderstressed during their meeng thatthey would like to see new eortsto expand economic cooperaonand make it easier for Americansand Croaans to visit each other’scountries.

You came to Zagreb as the Dep-

uty Assistant Secretary of State

for European and Eurasian Af -

fairs. How do you predict the fu-

ture of EU in the context of the

latest events concerning the ra-

caon of the Lisbon Treaty?

The United States has always beena supporter of European integra-on. Today it is more importantthan ever that we have a Europethat will be a strong economicand polical partner. The proc-ess of building the instuons of a united Europe has been a com-plicated one, parcularly as Eu-rope has enlarged. However, theexperience of the past y yearsshows that EU members havebeen always been able to nd so-luons and overcome dicules.I am condent that when Croaais ready to join the EU, the EU willbe ready for Croaa.

We are witnessing the global

economic crisis. There is panic

at the world stock exchanges.

What’s your comment on the

state in your country? What ef-

fects could it have to the Croaaneconomy?

I am not an economist, but clear-ly, the United States is facing ma -

jor economic challenges. First,we need to reestablish stabilityand condence in the nancialsystem, and then we need toimplement regulatory and otherreforms to ensure that banksand nancial instuons oper-ate in a more responsible man-ner. The United States remains,however, the world’s largest and

most producve economy. So, inthe long term, I am opmisc wewill emerge even stronger fromthis crisis. As far as the Croaaneconomy is concerned, it is prob-ably wiser for me to leave that toMinister Polancec and NaonalBank Governor Rohanski.

How would you describe Croaan-

American economic co-opera-

on? What should we undertake

to aract the American capital to

the Republic of Croaa?

Since I arrived in Zagreb two yearsago, bilateral trade has increased,and there have been several large

U.S. direct investments. But, thepotenal exists to increase fur-ther our economic cooperaon.Croaa can be a point of entry forAmerican rms into the marketsSoutheastern Europe and the Eu-ropean Union. I am working withAmbassador Grabar-Kitarovic toensure that American companiesare aware of these new oppor-tunies. At the same me, Croaaneeds to make itself more aracveto American investors by streamlin-ing the investment process.

Aer the last year’s visit of 270.000

American tourist to Croaa, we

recorded an increased interest

for the Croaan tourist desna-

ons this year. What desna-

ons would you suggest to your

compatriots?

As Ambassador, I have been for-tunate to travel all over Croaa,

from Ilok to Prevlaka. This pastsummer, my wife and I spent twoweeks on Peljesac, and greatlyenjoyed its excellent beachesand wine. Many Americans, whovisit Croaa, know about Du-brovnik and the coast, but whenmy friends and family visit, I makesure that they spend a few days inZagreb to appreciate how pleas-ant it is to walk its streets andexplore its cafes, and I try to takethem to places American touristsmight not know about, such as

Varazdin and Vukovar.

The USA has entered the nal

stage of the presidenal cam-

paign. What do you think, would

the change of the polical opon

in the White House cause the

change of the American policy

towards Croaa?

In my view, the Presidenal elec-ons this year are the most im-portant in our recent history. Thenew President will face dicultproblems including the current -nancial crisis, reform of our healthcare system, the wars in Iraq andAfghanistan, and relaons with

Russia. I do not see, however, anysignicant changes in our relaonswith Croaa. Both Senator McCainand Senator Obama supportedCroaa’s membership in NATO.

This ambassadorial mandate is

your long stay in Zagreb during

the diplomac service. Would

you please compare your stand-

point of Zagreb and Croaa in

the second half of the ‘70s with

the present mes?

Returning to Zagreb aer an ab-sence of almost thirty years, Ihave seen extraordinary changes.Croaa is now an independentcountry, soon to be a member of NATO, and in the nal stages of becoming a member of the EU.These are developments that fewwould have predicted in 1978.But, what strikes me most is theblossoming of Croaa’s demo-

crac society. There is an openand lively debate about literallyeverything – the performanceof the government, economicproblems, educaon and healthcare, foreign policy, and evenCroaa’s past. Indeed, this debateand discussion now seem such anormal part of everyday life thatit is somemes hard to imaginethat, during my previous me inZagreb, a Croaan was detainedby the police simply for meengwith me.

UnitedStates valuesCroaa as a

friend andpartner

INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT ANTHONY BRADTKE INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT ANTHONY BRADTKE

Robert Anthony Bradtke

United States Ambassadorto the Republic of Croaa




Croaa is determined to nishthe technical part of nego-

aon process by opening all the

chapters by the end of the year.Croaa is also determined tocomplete all accession negoa-ons by the end of the EuropeanCommission’s mandate, i.e. byautumn 2009.Croaa’s priories are judicial re-form, protecon of fundamentalhuman rights and ght againstcorrupon. In order to completethe accession negoaons, allthe reforms must be successfullyimplementedNew heads have therefore beenappointed at key posions in theMinistry of Interior and the Min-istry of Jusce.

Although 80 per cent of cizenssay that they feel safe, it is ourwish to ghten security.A package of an-maa legisla-on will be adopted soon in orderto boost co-operaon among au-thories responsible for security.

A new law on police powers willbe drawn up, and preparaonsin the state administraon forthe introducon of the taxpayeridencaon number will bestepped up as well.The rst assignment of the newMinister of Interior and the newpolice chief is to ac celerate thework of the Naonal Oce for theSuppression of Organised Crimeand Corrupon (USKOK). Thisoce is based on the Govern-

ment’s strategy for ghng cor-rupon and organised crime. Thenew interior minister is Tomislav

Karamarko, unl now the head of the Croaan Intelligence Agency(SOA) . He was also the head of Prime Minister’s Cabinet and theSpeaker of Parliament’s oce,the Chief of Zagrebačka CountyPolice Administraon , and thedeputy Minister of Interior.

Aer the appointment to thenew oce, we talked with thenew Minister about his plans andconcerns.

The public supports your ap-

pointment. However, the expec-

taons are great as well. What is

the rst thing you intend to do?

When I was taking over the In -telligence Agency my condionswere autonomy in decision-mak-ing and fre edom in performingmy dues.I asked for the same condionsthis me. My opinion is that we

can implement all the reformsthat have been planned, but onlywith the help of educated andtrained professionals.

Do you already have some names?

It is too early to talk about thenames, but we are going to insiston those persons who can contrib-ute to the quality of our work bytheir experse and knowledge.

In addion to the careful selec-

on of your sta, what other

ways of achieving eciency do

you have in mind?

Firstly, it is important to diagnose

the problems and then come upwith an idea, i.e. a project how tosolve the problems, in order forthe cizens to feel safer.Of course, it is necessary to un-dertake the measures to avoidthe situaon in which the policedoes ˝Sisyphean task˝, and getsstuck in judicial processing.

The judiciary, that is, the reformof the judiciary, is especially im-portant for the negoaons withthe European Union.The package of an-maa lawsincludes the establishing of theso-called USKOK courts. We willinsist that the county courts inZagreb, Osijek, Split and Rijekaappoint judges in charge of casesprocessed by police, the PublicProsecutor’s Oce and USKOK.We will also establish an academyfor judges based on the model of France and Italy, where judgesreceive addional training.

The reform of judiciary can andmust be accelerated.

Ivan Šimonović, a new Ministerof Jusce and one of the mostprominent Croaan diplomats,is a former deputy Minister of Foreign Aairs and ambassadorat the United Naons. He is alsoa professor at the Faculty of Lawin Zagreb.

How are you going to improve the

co-operaon between the po-

lice and judiciary with the aim of

achieving a safe and just society?

Judiciary will surely contributeto the eciency of the policewhere it can do so – for example,by changing law or pracces re-garding the processing of crimes.In addion, a stronger co-op -eraon between the Ministryof Jusce, Ministry of Interior,

Croaan Intelligence Agency andthe Public Prosecutor’s Oce isnecessary.We are preparing an amendmentto the Penal Law, Criminal Lawand Law on Police.If necessary, we will propose a spe-cial law on organised crime or theamendments to the Law on USKOK.

So far, you have successfully com-bined diplomacy and law. You arenow returning to polics, but asthe Minister of Jusce.

I am always prepared to promoteCroaan interests in the world,but under the condion of goodco-operaon and mutual trustwithin the Government. I thinkthis is a good moment for my in-volvement, as judiciary is a veryimportant segment of the acces-sion negoaons with the Euro-pean Union.

You concluded a rich diplomac

career on the posion of thePresident of UN Economic and

Social Council. In what ways was

the presidency over ECOSOC

signicant for Croaa?

During my, that is, Croaa’s presi -dency over ECOSOC a signicantadvancement was accomplishedconcerning the joining of inter-naonal peace and security witheconomic and social issues, andconcerning the strengthening of co-operaon and co-ordinaonbetween this Council and the Se-

curity Council. My work was posi-vely evaluated by France, and Iwas decorated with the Legionof Honour by the French Govern-ment.

Do you intend to chan ge the per-

sonnel in the Ministry of Jusce?

It is not possible to funcon with -out a good team. The experts inthe Ministry of Jusce have tocreate an an-maa law, that’s

the rst thing they have to do.To begin with, it is necessary toanalyse the experiences of coun-tries which have already imple-mented such laws, as well as theexperiences of those countriesthat deal with this problem in adierent way.Aer the compleon of a fullscale analysis, we will be able tosay what’s missing in the Croaanlegislaon an nd the eecvemeans to combat corrupon.

Safety withoutcompromise

SAFETY WITHOUT COMPROMISE SAFETY WITHOUT COMPROMISE




Deputy PM Kosor thanked eve-rybody for the warm welcome,and on behalf of the CroaanGovernment congratulated theorganizers for a great organisa-on of the Olympic Games andParalympic Games opening.

Moreover, she expressed herthanks for the chance to talkabout the posion of women inChina and Croaa, adding thatall the women in the world hadbeen facing the same problems.She explained that the posionof women in polics was im -proving, and emphasised that

in Croaa the main goal was tocreate the condions that wouldallow women to build successfulcareers, but also to start a familyif they wished so.She said that Croaa was imple-menng many projects focusingon combang violence againstwomen, especially domescviolence, and she also men-oned two campaigns Croaahad launched with the EuropeanCouncil – campaign to combatviolence against women andcampaign against corporal pun-ishment of children.Deputy PM Kosor expressed hersasfacon with the relaons

between the two countries, and

wished for the cooperaon toconnue and expand to includethe issues of women.

Deputy PM Kosor met the Presi-dent of the Internaonal Para-lympic Commiee, Philip Craven.On that occasion she informedhim about the acvies takingplace in Croaa when it comes todisabled persons. She said thatCroaa was the third countrywhich had signed the Convenonon disabled people’s rights, and thefourth one which had raed it.She also menoned the projectof personal assistant for severelydisabled persons, saying that thisservice was currently provided

for 350 disabled persons.

She explained that a personalassistant makes it possible fordisabled persons to live inde-pendently. She added that theCroaan Government togetherwith the units of local govern -ment had been implemenngthe project ˝Accessible Croaa˝aimed at adaptang facilies tomake them accessible to disa-bled persons.

She pointed out that one of themost important project s was a pi-lot project of providing the serv-ice of ombudsman for disabledpeople. Philip Craven praisedCroaa’s eorts for the improve -ment of the disabled people’squality of life. He parcularlywelcomed the project of per-sonal assistant saying that it trulyprovided what was most neces-sary for the disabled persons,

and that was independence.

Cooperaon between theCroaan Paralympic Commieeand Internaonal PC was estab -lished at the meeng.

During the visit to Beijing DeputyPM Kosor visited Paralympic Villageand signed the Wall of Remem-brance of Internaonal Conven-on on Protecon and Promo-on of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilies.

O

n the rst day of her visitDeputy PM Kosor was a

guest of Chinese President HuJintao at the Grand Palace, to-gether with senior ocials whoaended the opening.

Deputy PM Kosor was singnext to Chinese PM Wen Jiabao.They talked about the relaonsbetween Croaa and China, andabout the Paralympic Games.She pointed out that Croaa andChina had friendly relaons thatwere constantly strengthening.She stressed that the Chinese es-pecially appreciated the fact thatthe Croaan President, StjepanMesić, had been present at the

opening of theOlympic Games,while she herself had come to theParalympic Gamesopening.˝We were talk-ing about beereconomic coop-eraon, but thecentral topic wereathletes˝, said Ko-sor.During the work-ing visit to ChinaDeputy PM Kosormet the Presi-dent of the All China Women’sFederaon (ACWF), Gu Xiu Lian,

who thanked her for coming tothe Paralympic Games, thus ce-menng friendship between thetwo countries. She went on tosay that close relaons had beenestablished concerning the co-operaon in economic, culturaland tourist plan, adding that thecooperaon was to become evencloser with the eorts on both

sides.Gu Xiu Lian informed the parci-pants that the All China Women’sFederaon had been establishedin 1949, with the main goals of improving the posion of womenand promong their rights, aswell as promong equality be-tween men and women. She saidthat some of the main issues theywere dealing with were the issuesof family, creaon of a posiveatmosphere, children protecon,and secure families.

Deputy Prime MinisterKosor in China

Croaan Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor was on a three-day working

visit to Beijing in early September, where she parcipated at the formal

opening of the Paralympic Games.

DEPUTY PM KOSOR IN CHINA DEPUTY PM KOSOR IN CHINA




Czech Prime Minister MirekTopolanek was on an ocial

visit to the Republic of Croaawhere he met Croaan PrimeMinister Ivo Sanader.Aer the meeng Topolanek saidthat Croaa had good prospectsfor opening all the remainingchapters in the EU accession ne-goaons by the end of the year,and to start closing them duringthe Czech presidency of the EU in

the rst half of 2009.˝We will do our best and weare opmisc, but it does notdepend on us enrely, but onthe other side as well˝, Sanadersaid, and added that out of theremaining twelve chapters whichhadn’t been open yet Croaa hadsubmied negoang posionson seven of them, and the samewould be done for another twoin September.˝The Czech Republic will do itsutmost to close all the remain-

ing chapters˝, said Topolanek,who also added that he spoke toPM Sanader about the remainingchapters that could cause someproblems so greater aenonshould be paid to them. CzechPM announced that his countrywas to rafy the agreement onCroaa’s accession to NATO bythe end of the year. Croaan PMSanader and his Czech colleagueTopolanek opened Croaan-

Czech Economic Forum in Za-greb, announcing closer eco-nomic cooperaon between thetwo countries, and highlighngtheir interest in investment inthe Southeast European market.Both Prime Ministers empha-sised that Croaa and the CzechRepublic shared a common histo-ry and should therefore intensifytheir economic cooperaon.“The Croaan Government willdo its utmost to create a favour-able investment climate”, Sanad-

er said in his speech, calling onthe Czech Republic to use Croaato enter the Southeast Europeanmarket, since it knows the lan-guages and the customs of thecountries of the region.“Once Croaa becomes the EUmember state, the Czech Repub-lic expects to get an ally in theght for stronger democracy inbusiness, against proteconism,and for greater openness toward

third pares”, said Topolanek.Croaa is especially interestedin Central and East Europe, thepresident of the Croaan Cham-ber of Economy, Nadan Vidose-vic, said at the Forum.Croaan-Czech trade in 2007 was700 million US$, and Vidoševićsaid he hoped it would reach 1billion US$ in the next two-threeyears.He also recalled that 800 to 900thousand Czech tourists visitCroaa annually.

In early September the EstonianPrime Minister, Andrus Ansip,

was received by Croaan PrimeMinister Ivo Sanader.“Estonia is soon to rafy theagreement on Croaa’s ac-cession to NATO, and the twocountries will soon be partnerswithin NATO, just like they arealready partners in internaonal

peace missions”, the EstonianPM said aer the meeng withthe Croaan PM. He also saidthat Estonia strongly supportedCroaa’s accession to the EU andthat he believed Croaa wouldmanage to open all the remain-ing chapters in the accessiontalks with the EU by the end of the year, and close them in 2009.

˝We will do our best, but it doesnot depend on us, but on theother side, the European Com-mission has to verify that˝, saidCroaan PM Ivo Sanader, andadded that out of the remainingtwelve chapters which hadn’t

been open yet Croaa had sub-mied negoang posions onseven of them, and the samewould be done for another twoin September.

“Except for the cooperaon intourism, Croaa hopes to im-prove economic cooperaonwith Estonia”, said PM Sanader.

Mr Sanader, together with hisguest, the Estonian PM, openedCroaan-Estonian Business Fo-rum aended by Croaan andEstonian businessmen. In Estonia98% of business is done via theinternet, said PM Ansip, invingCroaa for the cooperaon inthe IT sector. ˝We can closely co -operate in the IT sec tor˝, said An-sip addressing the businessmen.“We conduct business transpar-ently, and we have a at VAT rateof 18%,” said the PM of the coun-try with the lowest corruponrate in Central and East Europe.“In addion to the cooperaonin the IT sector, we could also co-

operate in the construcon sec-tor, since Croaan construconworkers have a strong presencein the Ukraine”, reminded Esto-nian PM.Croaan PM Sanader called onentrepreneurs from Croaa andEstonia to compete in construc-on tenders for the 2012 Europe -an Football Championship which

will be hosted by the Ukraine andPoland.˝Croaa and Estonia are smallcountries and as such cannot beinteresng to themselves˝, Sa-nader said encouraging compa-nies from both countries to try to˝conquer new markets together˝,even such large markets as theUkraine or the Russian Federa-on. Croaan PM said he hopedight services would be expand -ed since more and more Croatswere beginning to discover thebeauty of Tallin which Sanadercompared to a ˝delicious and ex-quisite box of chocolates ˝.

Closer economic relaonsbetween the Czech Republicand Croaa

Croaa and Estonia to conquernew markets together

CZECH REPUBLIC AND CROATIA ESTONIA AND CROATIA




Slovakian Deputy Prime Min-ister Dušan Čaplović paid an

official visit to Croatia in earlySeptember. “As far as Slovakia

is concerned Croatia is alreadypart of the European Union,and in Slovakian Parliament allpolitical parties have alreadyreached a consensus on theratification of the Protocol onCroatia’s accession to NATO”,said Deputy PM Čaplović.

In his address to the pressČaplović highlighted that he wasfeeling ̋ at home˝ in Croatia, andthat all the talks were excep-tionally cordial ˝which speaksin favour of close relations be-tween the two countries˝. ˝As far as Slovakia is concernedCroatia is already part of the Eu-ropean Union ˝, said Čaplović,expressing his conviction thatcooperation between the twocountries will be improved in allthe fields and become an exam-ple to be followed by everyone

in Europe.

Croatian Deputy PM Kosor metSlovakian PM, too. Speaking of the priorities of the Govern-ment she stressed that one of the first and most importantgoals for Croatia was its acces-sion to the EU and NATO. Shethanked Slovakian PresidentRobert Fico and the Slovakianpeople for unequivocal supportto Croatia.

In the beginning of October thePresident of the Croaan Gov-

ernment dr Ivo Sanader receivedthe delegaon of the AustralianSenate headed by the Senate’sPresident John Hogg. PM Sa-nader stressed that Croaa andAustralia hadvery good rela-ons, and thatvisit would in-tensify the re-laons, whichis contributed

by a numerouscommunity of the Croaanemigrants whowere reputa-ble cizens of the Australiansociety.

PM Sander in-troduced thePresident of the AustralianSenate and his

associates with the priories of Croaa’s foreign policy, the cur-rent state of the process of ac-cessing the EU and NATO, as wellas with the Croaan role in theregion.Mr Hogg noed that the Austral -ian Croats represented a signi-cant connecon between thosetwo countries, and expressedhis hope that the co-operaonbetween Australia and Croaawould be intensied since therewere many opportunies forthat.In early September Croaan

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader re-ceived Latvian President ValdisZatlers at Banski Dvori (the Presi -denal Palace).Croaan PM thankedhim for the supportconcerning Croaa’smembership in NATO

and the EU. They weretalking about the pos-sibilies of strength-ening economic andtrade es betweenthe two countries,especially in the areaof tourism, as well asabout the possibilityof introducing directights between Za-greb and Riga. Presi-dent Zalters said thathe was pleased that

Croaa and Latvia establishedsuch friendly relaons and closecooperaon es at numerous in-ternaonal forums.

He also said that he consideredrelaons with Croaa to bevery important, even more sobecause Croaa would soon be-come a member of NATO and theEU, and because of its importantgeographic posion in the centreof the Adriac region.

The President of the Govern-ment of Lower Saxony, Chris-

an Wul, visited Croaa in lateAugust and met Croaan PrimeMinister Ivo Sanader. Aer the

meeng it was said that the Ger-man Federal State Lower Saxonywas interceding for Croaa’sprompt accession to the EU. ˝InLower Saxony Croaa enjoysgood reputaon and we are in-terceding for Croaa’s accessionto the EU as soon as possible˝,said Mr Wul.Mr Sanader expressed his sat-isfacon with the rst visit of Lower Saxony Prime Minister toCroaa, and informed his gueston Croaa’s progress in negoa-ons with the EU and about theplans and tasks to complete thenegoaons by the autumn of next year. Except for the bilat-eral relaons between the twocountries and a cooperaon be-tween them, they talked aboutthe region, especially Bosnia-Herzegovina.Two sides paid special aen-on to the mutual economic

relaons, and according to thewords of Mr Wul, there aremutual interests primarily in carindustry. Namely, Lower Saxonyis the centre of Volkswagen, sothe authories are interested inconnecng with car ˝clusters˝in Croaa. Moreover, there aregreat possibilies for coopera-on between the shipyards sinceLower Saxony has a long coast,or cooperaon in the eld of ag -riculture and renewable energysources.

FosteringgoodrelaonsbetweenCroaa andSlovakia

GoodcooperaonbetweenCroaa andLatvia

Lower SaxonysupportsCroaa’spromptacceession tothe EU

President of AustralianSenate withPM Sanader


NEWS FLASH NEWS FLASH



The President of the CroaanGovernment dr Ivo Sanader

received at the Banski Dvori theUS Deputy Secretary of DefenceGordon England. England con-gratulated the PM on the foreignpolicy that achieved a historicsuccess in strengthening interna-

onal posion of Croaa. He alsopointed out that such results, asthe invitaon to NATO, the forth-coming accession to the EU andthe clear posioning of Croaaas a stability factor in SE Europe,could be achieved only throughresolute and eecve leader-

ship. In that context Englandmenoned the decision by theAmerican Senate on the raca-on of the Protocol on Croaa’saccession to the NATO.With the decision of being therst country to rafy the Protocolthe USA sends the signal to other

member states of the North At-lanc Alliance to do the same.PM Sanader thanked for thequick American Senate’s raca-on and for the USA’s supportto Croaa’s aspiraons for theadmission to the Euro -Atlancorganisaons.

Croaan Prime Minister IvoSanader received Helga Kon-

rad, the ambassador of the Re-public of Austria to the Republicof Croaa, for a valedictory visit.On that occasion PM Sanaderthanked her for a huge contri-buon to further developmentof excellent Croaan-Austrianrelaons. He stated that a very

good and dynamic cooperaonbetween the two countries hadbeen addionally intensiedduring Konrad’s mandate inCroaa.

The ambassador thanked PM Sa-nader for the support in her workand informed him that duringher mandate in Croaa she hadwitnessed an interesng andfascinang period of progress indealing with some foreign policyissues, during which Croaa hadtaken a step closer to NATO andthe EU membership.

Croaan Prime Minister broughtup the subject of economic co-operaon as well, highlighngthe importance of Austrian in-vestments in Croaa. He alsosaid he was hopeful that fu-ture investments and export of Croaan companies to Austriawould grow considerably.

The Vatican supportsCroatia’s ˝specific˝ role in

the EU and NATO and respectsthe devotion of Croatian peopleto the tradition of Christian-ity, said the Vatican Secretaryof State, Cardinal Tarcisio Ber-tone, after a meeting on Fridaywith Croatian Prime MinisterIvo Sanader.In a joint statement after the

meeting, Sanader recalled thatthe Vatican had been the firstto recognise Croatia, two daysearlier than the EU, by which ithad ̋ violated tradion˝, for whichCroaa was deeply grateful.Sanader and Bertone, whomade a four-day pastoral visitto Croatia, confirmed that theVatican supported Croatia onits path to the EU and NATO.Among Central and Southeast-ern European states Croatiacan have a significant role as a

driving force towards justice,solidarity, and peaceful coexist-ence.After the meeting Cardinal Ber-

tone and PM Sanader went tovisit the new Catholic Universi-ty in Zagreb which the Cardinalblessed.

The President of the CroaanGovernment dr Ivo Sanader

met the European Union SpecialRepresentave in Bosnia-Herze-govina Miroslav Lajačak.They discussed the current situ-aon in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and

PM Sanader reiterated Croaa’ssupport for Lajačak’s eorts andthe work of his oce.They also talked about commoneorts through which Croaa,together with other partners inthe internaonal community and

in a co-operaon with Bosnianauthories, is supporng andhelping Bosnia-Herzegovina toachieve European standards andto join the EU and NATO.

On that occasion PM Sanader saidthat Bosnia’s stability dependedon the respect of the equality of its three constuent peoples –Croats, Bosniaks and Serbs.

EU Special Representave Lajačakthanked PM Sanader for Croaa’ssupport and construcve policytowards Bosnia and the wholeregion. He agreed that the equal-ity of three Bosnia’s peoples wasthe foundaon for the country’sstability and progress, stressingthat the accomplishment of thatgoal required the joint eorts of local authories and the inter-naonal community, includingCroaa.

PM meetsUS DeputySecretary of Defence

CroaanPrime Ministerhosts AustrianAmbassadorKonrad

PM Sanader meets Cardinal BertoneCroaa`s support for Lajačak`s eorts





In mid-September CroaanPrime Minister made an ocial

visit to Brussels where he had ameeng with President of the Eu-ropean Commission Jose ManuelBarroso about Croaa’s eorts to

join the EU as soon as possible.Working lunch at the EC head-quarters was aended by En-largement Commissioner OlliRehn and Croaan Foreign Min-ister Gordan Jandroković.European Commission PresidentBarroso said that Croaa had

made signicant progress in theEuropean Union accession ne-goaons in recent months, butsll had a lot to do by November

in order to meet benchmarks intwo key negoaon chapters- Ju -diciary and Fundamental Rightsand Compeon Policy. He alsohighlighted the importance of restructuring the shipbuildingindustry.He said Sanader assured him thateverything would be ready byNovember, adding that the ECwould make a comprehensiveevaluaon of how the bench-marks set for opening negoa-ons on the said two chapters

had been met.Barroso said Croaa would alsohave to resolve the issue of thetrade discriminaon of tobacco

products, important in light of obligaons from the Stabilisa-on and Associaon Agreementas well as very relevant for open-ing negoaons on the Taxaonchapter.Barroso said it was too early tosay if in November the EuropeanCommission would release anindicave calendar for the tech-nical compleon of the nego-aons by autumn 2009. He alsoadded that before it announcedthis year’s enlargement the Eu -

ropean Commission was going toevaluate the extent to which thecondions had been met.Sanader said Croaa was de -

termined to do itsutmost in order tocomplete the acces-sion negoaonsnext year. He saidthat the governmentwould prepare inter-naonal tenders forthe privasaon of Croaan shipyards,in cooperaon withthe EC Directorate-General for Compe-on.˝I am encouragedby the messages MrBarroso sent me,the Government,and Croaa. Wein Croaa are wellaware that we havea task ahead us, atask that includesmeeng all the nec-essary criteria, sowe can complete ac-cession negoaons.We are ready to doour homework, to dowhatever is neces-sary to complete thenegoaons nextyear˝, said PM Sa-nader.

In early October Croaan PrimeMinister Ivo Sanader ocially

visited the Republic of Irelandwhere he met with Irish PrimeMinister Brian Cowen. Ireland is

looking forward to the success-ful selement of the issue of theracaon of the Treaty of Lisbonas soon as possible and hopesthat this issue will not aectCroaa’s accession negoaonswith the European Union, IrishPrime Minister Brian Cowen saidaer his talks with his Croaancounterpart, Ivo Sanader, in Dub-lin. The Cowen-Sanader talks re-volved around European issues,and aer that the two countries’delegaons discussed bilateralissues and the situaon in south-eastern Europe during a workingdinner. The Irish premier couldnot say whether his country willhold another referendum on theTreaty of Lisbon aer Ireland re-

jected the document at the rstreferendum on 12 June this year.Cowen said that his country wasnow analysing and mulling overthe document, and added that he

hoped that the Irish” No” wouldnot negavely aect Croaa’sintegraon with the EuropeanUnion. We shall try to solve allour problems to the overall sat-isfacon as soon as possible, andin the meanme this should notaect in any way Croaa’s nego-aons and Croaa’s negoangposions, Cowen said. He saidthat Dublin supported Croaa’seorts to become a full memberof the European bloc and thathe was condent and opmisc

regarding plans of the EuropeanCouncil to set in December a datefor the compleon of Croaa’smembership talks. Sanaderthanked Ireland for its constantbacking of Croaa. Cowen alsotold Sanader that discussionsbefore the referendum on theTreaty of Lisbon had not referredto Croaa’s EU membership bid.Croaan Prime Minister Ivo Sa-nader expressed opmism thatIreland’s rejecon of the LisbonTreaty would not be an obstacleto Croaa’s EU entry. “I am per-sonally opmisc aer this talkthat the Irish referendum will notbe a problem for Croaa,” Sa-nader told Croaan reporters inDublin aer a working lunch withIrish Prime Minister Brian Cowen.“I think that aer today’s talkwe can be opmisc, and I don’tmean just we in Croaa, but Eu-rope as well, because the primeminister is evidently determinedto solve that problem and nd away and a me-frame,” he added.Ireland rejected the Lisbon Treatyin a referendum this June and has

not decided yet whether a secondreferendum will be held and if so, when. Croaa needs the newTreaty to take eect so that it can

join the EU as its 28th member,because the Treaty of Nice, whichis sll in force, is designed for amaximum of 27 member states.“We, of course, don’t want toexert any pressure, understand-ing that every country in the EUhas its own problems and itsown debates, including Ireland,”the Croaan PM said. Accord-ing to Sanader, Cowen said thatIreland fully supported Croaa’seorts to join the bloc, express-ing hope that the two countrieswould connue to work togetherand that Ireland would completeits part of the work by the meCroaa had completed accessionnegoaon.PM Sanader also met with Irishpresident Mary McAleese andvisited Irish Parliament. At theend of his visit, Prime Ministerexpressed his sasfacon witheverything he heard from Irish of -cials.

Croaan Prime Minister Sanader in Brussels

“Irish referendum shouldn’tbe problem for Croaa”

PM Ivo Sanader visited Republic of Ireland

Photo by FaH





Minister of the Sea, Transportand Infrastructure Božidar

Kalmeta and Minister of FinanceIvan Šuker in the presence of theHead of the European Commis-

sion Delegaon to Croaa, Vin-cent Degert, on September 242008 marked the beginning of re-newal works on the Vinkovci-To-varnik-State Border railway lineat the railway staon Đelatovci.It is a 60.2 million euro worthproject, the rst one of suchsize in Croaa. The project is co-nanced from the pre-accessionEU ISPA fund, 38% comes fromgrant-in-aid, while the rest of thefunds was provided by the statebudget, pointed out MinisterŠuker during the opening cer-emony. He menoned that threeyears ago the Memorandum onnancing this project included75.7 million euro, but during theinternaonal bid the contractsensuring 80% of the means hadbeen signed, so this added up to sig -nicant saving of 15 million euro.

This railway secon is located at

the 10th Pan- European corridorand its renewal will result in bet-ter connecon of Croaa withthe European Union, but will alsoincrease the trac safety, saidthe Head of the European Com-mission Delegaon to Croaa,Mr Degert, adding that the EUwill keep on supporng well-pre-pared projects.The secon is 33.5 kilometerslong, with trains travelling atspeeds over 40 km/h, as it suf-

fered severe damages during theHomeland War, said Minister Ka-lmeta.

Therefore, as he said, by 2010 theworks on rail terminals, halts, andtracks will have been completed,and railroad crossings will havebeen repaired, with the introduc-on of trac signalling and tracmanagement system, providingtrain speeds of 160 km/h.

He announced the preparaonof the project for the renewalof railway juncon Zagreb andDugo Selo – Novska secon andNovska-Okučani secon, which

would, according to his words,probably be nanced from theIPA funds.

Construcon works will be car-ried out by the Italian company,Salcef Construzioni Edili e Fer-roviari SpA, and the producer isCroaan company Vibrobeton.The trac signalling and tracmanagement system will be in-stalled by Bombardier Transpor-taon Italy in consorum withthe Italian company SITE.Spanish company Tecnica yProyectos SA is responsiblefor the supervision of theworks.

Based on the internaonal co-

operaon of the Croaan Min-istry of the Interior and the Hun-garian, French, Austrian, Czechand Slovakian Ministry of Interior,during July and August police of -cers from these countries wereposioned in the following policedepartments: Primorje –GorskiKotar, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik-Neretva.

This is thecontinuationof the lastyear’s excep-onally suc-cessful co-operaon of Croaa withthe policeforces of them e n t i o n e dc o u n t r i e swhich madeforeign tour-

ists feel lessworried dur-ing their sum-mer holiday in Croaa, since theyfacilitated communicaon andcooperaon with the Croaan in -stuons.The presence of foreign policeocers in popular tourist des-naons in Croaa had a posi-ve eect on the guests and theCroaan authories, and receivedvery posive media coverage.All the guest policemen were

wearing their uniforms that are

ocial in their countries, butwithout equipment and weapons.They were in charge of provid-ing help and support in facilitat-ing communicaon between theCroaan police and foreign tour-ists. In the Dubrovnik-NeretvaPolice Department there weretwo French police ocers, in

the Split-Dalmaa Police Depart-ment eight police ocers fromthe Czech Republic and Slovakia,in the Zadar Police Departmenteight Hungarian police ocers,and in the cies of Primorje-Gor-ski Kotar County, such as Opaja,there were eight Austrian policeocers.

Just like last year, this year the

media also covered foreign police

ocers’ acvies in Croaa. Theywere presented at press confer-ences organised by police depart-ments with the aim of makingforeign police ocers familiarwith the tourism sector of the lo-cal area, but also with the serviceprovided to the cizens of thecountries they come from, who

were spendingtheir holidaysin those ar-eas of Croaa.The Hungar-ian, Czech, andSlovakian localmedia also cov-ered some of the acvies.This kind of co-operaon is go-ing to connuenext year, sinceit proved verysuccessful.

Before theyle, all the

guest police ocers gave theirCroaan colleagues credit fortheir successful work. They con-rmed that Croaan tourist des-naons were safe for foreigntourist as well as for local peopleand added they were convincedthat Croaa and its Adriac coastwould connue to be a populardesnaon for tourists from allover Europe and the world.

Renewal works beginon Vinkovci - Tovarnik –state border railway line

European police ocerson the Adriac coastSuccessful internaonal cooperaon of Croaan,Hungarian, French, Austrian, Czech and Slovakianpolice connued this summer

RAILWAY WORKS EUROPEAN POLICE COOPERATION




This year Šibenik Tourist Boardchose the month of September

to mark the memory of Šibenikhistory. Events organized duringSeptember were a reminder of rich tradion, culture and emi-nent people who lived in this area.The event ̋ Days of Faust Vrančić˝marked the beginning of the fes-vies.What exactly do we know aboutFaust Vrančić, a famous Croaanhumanist and inventor in the 16thcentury?Faust Vrančić was born in Šibenikin 1551. His uncle Antun Vrančić, aprelate and a diplomat, was takingcare of his educaon. He brought

Faust with him to Eger, and thanksto him Faust received educaon inPadua, Venice, Vienna, and Rome.Vrančić was a man of a wide sci-enc interest. He was interestedin lexicography, philosophy, theol-ogy, and technology.He spent some me in Prague asthe secretary at the court of Em-peror Rudolph II (1552-1612) andin 1594 he was appointed thebishop of Cenad.In 1605 he le the court and Hun-gary and joined the Order of Barn-abites in Rome.His close friend Giovanni AmbrogioMazenta (1565-1635) introducedhim to technical drawingsof Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)and encouraged him to explorethe construcon of machines andresolve some architectural prob-lems.Among other things in Rome,Vrančić worked on ow regulaonof the River Tiber, which used toood the surrounding area due tothe narrow basin.Aerwards he le for Venicewhere he was mastering the skillof building fountains.He died there on 27th January1617. His bo dy was transported tohis homeland and he was buriedin a parish church in Prvić Luka,according to his wish.Some of Vrančić’s most impor-

tant works are: Diconarumquinque nobilissimarum Europaelinguarum (Venice, 1595), De Slov-vinis seu Sarmas (Rome, 1606),Xivot nikoliko izabranih divvicz(Rome, 1606), Logica duis ipsiusinstrumens formata et recognita(Venice, 1608, Venice 1616), Ethi-ca Chrisana (Rome, 1610, Venice,1616), and Machinae novae (Ven-ice, 1615/1616).Among other cultural acvies inSeptember which were dedicatedto this great humanist, and organ -ized by the city of Šibenik and itsTourist Board, lectures ˝TownLibrary Edion of Faust Vrančić’sWorks˝, and ˝History and Exhibi-on of Šibenik Cap˝ were held,while the presentaon of picturebook ˝Faust – the ying man˝was made by the author, ZdenkaBilušić. She got the inspiraon forthe book while looking at Vrančić’sfamous drawing of a parachutepublished by Town Library ˝JurajŠižgorić˝.The end of the fesvies wasmarked by the visit to Vrančić’ssummer house and the Museumon the island of Prvić, where thecornerstone was laid for the con-strucon of the memory-park of Faust Vrančić. The Ministry of theSea, Transport and Infrastructurewill invest some million kunas forits construcon.

The exhibion ˝Stećci˝ dis-played at the Klovićevi Dvori

Gallery in Zagreb was dedicatedto a completely authenc andquite neglected part of the cul-tural heritage scaered over themountains of the Dinarides, a kindof the cemetery that cannot befound anywhere in the world.The exhibion deals with the cul-ture of tombstone making, sincestećci (pl. of stećak) are actuallymassive, stony, not rarely illustrat-ed tombstones, that were builtbetween the 13th and the 15th ct.at the areas of Dalmaan Zagora,Bosnia-Herzegovina, west Serbiaand Monte Negro. Some seventythousand such tombstones werefound of the menoned localies,whose exploraon started only af -ter the World War II. Those tomb-stones ˝took care of˝ the gravesof peerage, shaped like panels,cons, posts or crosses.The exhibion is actually alerngto the preservaon and explora-on of this puzzling and mysteri -ous heritage that is irretrievablyfading away in the course of me.Namely, the tombstones are poor-

ly preserved, aerve hundred yearsof winds and water,

and their origin isscarcely surveyedand never explainedcompletely.The idea of stećak,whose makerssigned in as ˝theblacksmiths˝, his-

torically has been interpreted dif-ferently. For example, a religioustheory says that these tomb-stones are connected with theBogomils, the members of dualis-c Chrisan heresy, who isolatedand surrounded by mountains,in the heart of the medieval Bos-nian state in the 12th century,were the only capable of generat-ing this peculiar culture that diedaway together with the Oomaninvasion.The second theory, an ethnic one,connects them with the Vlachs, asemi-nomad populaon, since theexploring showed that authenc

populaon of Catholic and Or-thodox religion was buried underthem.Disagreements appear in the verymofs on the tombstones, themofs of the Chrisan middleages, and those dipped into oldertradion. We speak about themofs of a disc, a spiral, a rosee,a crescent and a star ( as the sym-bols of death, but winning overdeath, too) entwining with thoseof characters of knights hunngdeer, bears, hunng with a falcon,

weapons, swords, and shields.A curiosity of the medieval lit-eracy are the inscripons mostly

on the tombstones from Dalmaaand Bosnia-Herzegovina derivedfrom the monasteries that revealengraved names of buried peer-age, the stories about their featsor chiselled prayers, the names of the saints.

Myths and legendsThere were many myths and su-persons about scaered stonyhillocks told by local populaon.According to some the cemeter-ies were supposed to be avoidedin order not cause a mischief, andquite opposite tales according toothers.Drinking water with srred scrap -ing from a stećak meant ferlityto a woman.A cow that went round a stećakthree mes was healthy and fer-le, while, according to Kupreslegend, these tombstones actu-

ally are wedding guests who wereonce snowbound and frozen.

The tombstones appear nearchurches, water-wells, along thepaths, and on quite unapproach-able mountainous places, that areraising new doubts about theiremergence, like the cemetery onthe mountain of Visočica in Bosnia,that are supposed to be owned byVlach nomads who were bringingtheir cale there.

Days of FaustVrančić

Humanist and inventor

STEĆAKfading awaytombstone

In concept terms, the exhibion is divided

to exhibits of several original stećci from the

original localies at the Gallery’s atrium, then

the presentaon of their plaster casts pre-served in the Glyptotheque of the Croaan

Academy of Sciences and Arts, while a special

part of the exhibion deals with grave nd-

ings under the very tombstones mostly pre-

served in the Naonal Museum in Sarajevo.

CULTURE CULTURE




THE 55TH PULA FILMFESTIVAL19 - 26 July

The 55th Pula Film Fesval wasopened by a psychological thriller˝Buick Riviera˝ directed by GoranRušinović. Other six domesclms by the Croaan directorswere also showed. Internaonalprogramme was presented bytwelve lms, with the domina-on of detecve stories and thrill -ers by the representave namesof the European lm, like ItalianOscar Winner Giuseppe Torna-tore, Belgian brothers Jean Pierreand Luc Dardenne, and RobertoGuediguiano.The Grand Golden Arena for theBest Film went to No One’s Sonby Arsen Anton Ostojić, who alsoreceived the award for the bestdirector.In Internaonal Compeon theaward for the best lm went to˝Double Love˝ directed by ClaudeChabrol, Golden Arena for theBest Director went to Mike Leighfor Happy-Go-Lucky, while theaward for the best actress in a

leading role went to Liu Weiwei

in ̋ In Love We Trust˝, directed byWang Xiaoshuaij.The lm Will Not End Here, byVinko Brešan was awarded with4 Golden Arenas and the Publics’Award.

As an accompanying programmethe visitors could have enjoyedin the ˝Videorome˝ –lm projec-ons followed by the presenta-ons by theorecians; the young-est ones were able to enjoy in a

Lile Film School of Prof Balthazar

– a workshop for making theirown movies.There was a workshop for PulaFilm Factory for older ones, acompeon for amateurs for thebest amateur lm; the visitorswere able to see the exhibion byBabee Mangilte, as well as theexhibion by Ana Hušman andDora Katanić.

The famous Brish actor of worldcareer Christoper Lee was Pula

Film Fesval Guest of Honour,who acted in more than 250 mov-ies and series, like ̋ Dracula ,̋ ̋ TheMummy˝, and ˝The Man withGolden Pistol˝, while the youngergeneraon will remember him forthe role of the wizard Saruman inthe ˝The Lord of the Ring˝ trilogyand Count Dookua in ̋ Star Wars˝.He received a special fesvalaward for the life contribuon inlm industry.

MOTOVUN FILMFESTIVAL28 July - 1 AugustMotovun Film Fesval is an annu -al lm fesval established in 1999and held in Motovun, Croaa. Itusually takes place over 5–6 daysin late July or early August. Theprojecons rotate from 10 a.m.to 4 a.m. aer the midnight in theopen and at the cinemas.Motovun Film Fesval is enrelydedicated to lms made in smallcinematography and independ-ent produconsIn everything, except for the am-bion and the quality, Motovun

wants to be a small fesval show -ing small lms, small in the warm-est sense of the word.Fesval program consisted of around 70 tles from all over theworld, from documentaries tofeature lms, from short to longlms, from guerrilla made lms toco-producons. The only criteri-on in their selecon is that they tin the open-minded atmosphereof the fesval with their innova-ons.

At this jubilant Motovun Film Fes-val the main award called Prope-ler Motovuna went to the movie˝Silent Light˝ by Carlos Reygadas.

The recipient of the MotovunMaverick Award was Ken Rus-sell, for exceponal credit in pro-mong the limits of permiedand courteous in the movie. Theaward ˝50 years˝ went to MiaOremović.

DUBROVNIKSUMMER FESTIVALDubrovnik Summer Fesval tookplace in one of the most beau-ful Croaan cies, Dubrovnik. The

whole programme of this year’sthe 59th Fesval was marked byMarin Držić’s work opus, one of the greatest Croaan dramasts,on the occasion of the 500th an-niversary of his birth.The formal session that is tra-dionally held in the eve of Du-brovnik Summer Fesval Openingwas presided by Minister of Cul-ture Božo Biškupić.Dubrovnik cizens and theirguests were enjoying in a rich of -fer of dramac, dancing and musi -cal performances.Two premieres were held inthe honour of Držić – dramacworkshop by Joško Juvančić Dum

Marinu u pohode, presenngthe works Venus and Adonis andNovela od Stanca, and Držić’scomedy Arkulin directed byKrešimir Dolenčić.There was a premiere of a Renais-sance dramast William Shake-speare: A Midsummer Night’sDream directed by Dora RuždjakPodolski, one of the most wantedCroaan woman director.Concerning the drama guest weshould menon the Hungarian

Festival

Summer

FESTIVAL SUMMER FESTIVAL SUMMER

Photo by: www.pulalmfesval.hr

Photo by: www.motovunlmfesval.com




play of the Naonal Theatre Mis-kole, Europe Adie, Adie Europe,directed by Paolo Magelli andthe guest performance of ZagrebYouth Theatre with ̋ On the otherside˝ directed by Nataša Rajkovićand Bobo Jelčić.Among the more interesng danc-ing and musical performances forsure was the one by the dancersof Parisian Opera Ballet that wasperformed in a magnicent ambi-ance of Dubac quarry.Music programme was openedby Dubrovnik Symphony Orches-tra with Ivan Repušić, and thesoloists were the laureates of the

Tchaikovsky compeon that has just ended in Moscow.The Fesval hosted a grandKrzysztof Penderecki with hisorchestra Sinfoniea Cracovia,and the Slovenian Philharmonic.Both the orchestras played theCroaan plays.A grand violinist Gidon Kremer,Vadim Rjepin, Midori, StefanMilenkovich … the pianists NikolaiDemidenko, Alexander Ghidin, OlliMustonen and Lovro Pogorelić,the diva of opera scene known as˝The h element˝ -Inva Mula…and many other stars performedthis summer at Dubrovnik ambi-ance stages.We should single out the visual-art

and musical-dramac perform-ance of Luko Paljetak and RudolphPater in a co-operaon with theCroaan Heritage Dubrovnik, andthe exhibion of Milovan Stanić˝Fesval’s Portraits˝ by TonkoMaroević.

LIBURNIA FILMFESTIVAL28 - 31 AugustThe 6th Liburnia Film Fesvalwas held at the end of August atthe open stage at small port inIčići, near Opaja. Eighteen bestCroaan documentaries recorded

in 2007 and 2008 were presented,together with another six movies,out of the compeon.The fesval was enriched by manyaccompanying programmes, likefor example, Filmakv - MobileUnit, at which the guests of thefesval could shoot the fesvalevents with their cameras andmobile phones, aer which, withthe help of an editor, they couldedit a movie, that was presentedon the last evening of the fesval.There was a workshop about thebasics of a documentary, and theviewers got a chance to ask theauthors quesons, within ˝Coeewith an author˝ project, the ques -ons about the movie they werewatching. So, the visitors were

able to talk to famous authors likeBranko Ištvančić, Irena Škorić andGoran Dević.The award went to ˝Welcometo Igrane˝, a funny (an) touristmovie that revealed the other,less known, side of the summer ina small Dalmaan place. The au -thor was Krisna Kumrić.Special acknowledgementswent to Rasim Karalić for˝Cenpede˝and Tomislav Mršićand Rober Zuber for ˝A RandomSon˝.The award by the audience wentto ̋ You scratch my back I’ll scratchyours˝ by Irene Škorić.

TRASH FILM FESTIVAL11 - 13 SeptemberTrash Film Fesval that is held inVaraždin is a mulmedia eventof an entertaining character thatpromotes the feature lm, i.e.low-budget acon and similarmovies.The fesval has been imaginedto present primarily those works

having accentuated the aributesof acon, ght, fright and SF. Theaim of the fesval was to aractmovie-fans, whether profession-als or amateurs, who enjoy in en-tertaining, acon component of movie art, and to award them forthe contribuon to the miraculousmovie world.The Golden Chain Saw, the TrashFilm Award, this year was given tothe movie ˝Black Sheep in a Zom -bie Restaurant˝ in the horror gen-

re, the best acon lm was ˝TheDeadlock˝, the best SF movie was˝Civilisaon of Doom˝, ˝DragonRage˝ was the best ghng lm,while the audience was thrilled by˝La imposicion de la ley 2˝movie.

THE 43rd VINKOVCIAUTUMS5 - 14 SeptemberVinkovci Autumns, which tookplace in September, is the big-gest and most aracve fesvityof authenc folklore from Slavo-nia, Baranja and western Srijem;it consists of a series of varied

folkloric, sports and commercialmanifestaons.The fesvity was established morethan forty years ago and presentsan original group of authencnaonal culture that evokes thenourishment of the rich culturalheritage by a song and a dance.Vinkovci Autumns represents ahuge contribuon in saving for-goen customs, collecng andpreserving inappreciable valuesof word by mouth, especially dur-ing the show ̋ Šokački divani˝, theevent whose purpose is to showthe way of having fun, singing anddancing, aer having work donein Slavonia.Tradional performances include˝Children’s Vinkovci Autumn˝,then ethnographic, economic,vocaonal exhibions and touristpromoons, concerts, sciencconferences, brandy fair and eval-uaon of the most quality ̋ Kulen˝

(kulen sausage).Formal procession is the most at-tracve and most beauful eventof Vinkovci Autumns, with a spe-cial aracon of cavalcade pre-ceding the procession.The central manifestaon of theVinkovci Autumns is the Naonalreview o authenc folklore, thatastonishes with original songs thatspeak about village people doingbee-party, showing old customsduring the harvest, sowing, mow-ing, wedding, the customs at Palm

Sunday, the blessing of the corn,picking feathers, brandy produc-ing, the customs during asking inmarriage and engagements, livingin former cooperaves, and coex-istence with river and water-well.In the past forty years the VinkovciAutumns has accomplished morethan its mere aempt, they havebeen enriched by new manifesta-ons so we can say that it a retro-specve of authenc folklore, buteconomic, cultural, tourist, sport-ing and entertaining manifesta-on as well, that can be placed inthe range of the most developedand most signicant reviews inCroaa.This manifestaon completelysucceeded in saving former villagefrom oblivion, its people and cus-toms, especially musical heritage.

38th VARAŽDIN

BAROQUE EVENINGS,17 - 29 September Thisyear’s the 38th Baroque Evenings,the fesval with the longestBaroque tradion in Croaa, wasin the sign of Israel.Namely, on the occasion of themarking of the 60th anniversaryof Israel State, the partner coun-try of the fesval was Israel, sothe visitors could have enjoyed inthe sounds of prominent Israelimusicians.While the audience in Varaždin

had a chance to enjoy in a richand interesng programme andauthenc performance of the Ba-roque evenings, the audience inJerusalem had a chance to enjoyin the performances of the plays of the Croaan composers and in theperformance of the Barrocade Is-raeli Baroque Collecve Ensemble.Besides the concerts in Varaždin,Varaždin Baroque Fesval em-braced the concerts in castlesand churches in Ludbreg, Lepogl -ava, Krapina, Sisak, Čakovec, Sv.Križ, Začretje, Prelog, Koprivnica,Stubički Golubovac, VaraždinskeToplice, Osijek, Vukovar andKriževci.

The concerts were held outsidethe borders of Croaa, in Ptuj,Leibniz, Zalaegerszeg, Braslava,Ravens burgh, St Gallen, and forthe rst me, in Jerusalem.

The day before the very openingof the Baroque Evenings, Opera˝L´Orfeo˝ by C. Monteverdi wasperformed at the Varaždin Theatre.

During the opening, the IsraeliAmbassador in Croaa ShumelMeir said that he was proud of Is-rael to be the partner country andpointed out it was an opportunityfor the strengthening of culturalrelaons between Croaa and Is -rael.

Photo by: www.trash.hr

FESTIVAL SUMMER FESTIVAL SUMMER

Photo by: www.liburnialmfesval.com

Photo by: www.vbv.hr




Kopački rit Nature Park isplaced in the central part of

the Danube oodplain, in the cor-ner formed by the Danube andone of its ve major tributaries,the Drava River. This is one of themost important alluvial ood-plains in whole Europe and an in-ner delta with disnct morpholog-ical and sedimentaon features.The appearance of the whole areadepends on regular oods there-fore terrestrial and aquac partschange their shape and funconaccording to the amount of ood-water. Kopačko Lake is the largest,

while Sakadaš is the deepest lakein the area. The lakes are inter-connected with rivers through thenetwork of natural channels. Na-ture Park covers 23.891 hectaresin total, including Special Zoologi-cal Reserve with 7.143 hectares.

RAMSAR AREAInternaonal signicance of Kopački rit was conrmed in 1993by its inclusion on the List of Wet-lands of Internaonal Importance

under the terms of the Ramsarconvenon, especially as a marsh-bird habitat.

UNIQUE BIOLOGICALDIVERSITYOver 2000 biological species havebeen recorded in Kopački rit sofar, among them many are rareand threatened on the Europeanand global scale. Apart from thelarge number of invertebrates,mussles, snails, leeches, dragon-ies, bueries, mosquitoes andgad ies, a new form of mussel

Unio tumidus kopaciensis was de-scribed in Kopački rit.The area is the most importantspawning place for the shes of the Central European secon of the Danube River. Forty-four spe-cies were recorded among them:the Danubian bream, the Carp,the Sterlet, the Pike, the Perchand the European caish.The wetland oers ideal condi-ons for the development of largeamphibian populaons – alto-gether 11 species of which 8 are

frogs.Extensive reedbeds, forests,marshes and wet grasslands pro -vide ideal condions for manymammal species including reddeer, roe deer, wild boars, wildcats, badgers, European oers aswell as 12 species of bats.

MORE THAN 290 BIRDSPECIESMore than 290 bird species, with141 regular or irregular breed -ers are the most popular featureof the Nature park. Those nest-

ing in large colonies are parcu -larly interesng, such as heronsand egres, whiskered terns,cormorants and common gulls.The white-tailed eagle nests inKopački rit, which is the symbol of the Nature Park. Among the oth -er threatened species like blackstorks, small egres and wildgeese nest here regularly. Sev-eral hundred pairs of ferruginousducks, one of the most endan-gered european species, also nesthere. During spring and autumn

migraon, Kopački rit representsan important resng site for manymarshbirds.

JOURNEY INTOTHE HEART OF THEWETLANDCruising through Čonakut chan-nel from Sakadaš Lake to KopačkoLake, all the beaues of this wet-land can be discovered. Thou-sands of wild geese can be seenin early spring, in summer it is aspecial experience to pass underthe colony of thousands of cor-morants while during autumn ten

thousands of mallards are here. If you are lucky enough, grey heronsand white egrets will show up toyou with a slow and elegant wingbeat. Observing over 30 dierentforaging behaviors used by theegrets or ghts between malecoots over the female aeconrepresent special delight for thetrue nature and bird lovers.

TOURISTIC OFFER OFTHE PARKKopački rit represents one of themost signicant tourisc desna-ons in the connental part of Croaa with all its beauty and ec -ological value. Tens of thousandsof birds, lakes and channels lledwith sh, deer herds, wild boarsand marsh pastures in blossomare only part of the treasures thatcan be seen and experienced inKopački rit.The main entrance to the Naturepark is «Mali Sakadaš» Visitorscentre situated in an autochthon

marshy environment by Kopačevovillage, on the local road Bilje –Kopačevo – Kozjak. The visitors of the Park can use the parking areafor personal vehicles and buses,an equipped recepon with an in -formaon desk and souvenir shop,a gallery for mulmedia presenta-ons, exhibions and lectures.The internaonal bicycle routes

called «Pannonian Peace Route»and «Danube Route» lead throughKopački rit, which has become therst centre for cycle-tourists inCroaa. An Internet Centre hasbeen set up inside the Visitorscentre. It is possible to walk onnature trails «Mali Sakadaš» and«Veliki Sakadaš» from the Visitorscentre, where the visitors can getinformaon reading panels aboutthe signicance of Kopački rit andparcular plant and animal spe-cies.The most aracve programmefor visitors is the boat tour takingthem through the Special Zoologi-cal Reserve. An empire of birdsand sh discover the secrets of the enchanng marshland whilethe boat cuts through the smoothwater surface. If you are luckyenough, the white-tailed eaglecan y above you while, very of -ten, herons and egrets accompanyyou ying by the boat.

NATURE PARK

KOPAČKI RIT

We invite you to come and experience a unique nature tosearch for peace and quiet where you will, at least for amoment, rere from everyday life.

NATURE PARK NATURE PARK




Fužine is situated at 730 me-

ters above the sea level, in thesouth-western part of Gorski Ko-tar region, surrounded by pictur-esque mountains, silence of cen-tennial coniferous forests, and thebeauty of its lakes.It is a true pleasure to spend meat the seaside in the summerme,and to spend a night in pleasantGorski Kotar air at some of thenumerous accommodaon es-tablishments. Fužine has alwaysprovided shelter for the night totravellers, summer and winter re-

sorts, and popular excursion sites.

Fužine, stretched out along theKarolina road (1737), with its manylodging houses and rest places forthe caravans became one of theoldest cradles of tourism on theKvarner Bay, as well as in Croaaand Central Europe.People from all over Croaa, andforeign guests, come here mostlyto enjoy preserved nature, mildclimate, natural beauty, a broadrange of leisure me acvies,numerous tourist events, and gas-tronomic delights.

The town of Fužine was rst men -

oned in the 17th century., as aproperty of Counts Zrinski andFrankopan. Its name is derivedfrom Italian word ̋ fucina˝ or Ger-man word ̋ Fussine˝ which meansmetal foundry, since the melngof iron ore was recorded in thisarea. Even though today Fužine isthe ocial name of the town, old -er inhabitants sll use the ancientname. It remains unknown whenexactly the name Fužine came tobe used for the town.The rst president of the Croaan

Academy of Sciences and Arts,

Franjo Rački was born in Fužine.Wring about him a famous sci-enst Tadija Smičiklas recordedthat Rački was born in ˝MagicalFužine˝.Fužine has excellent trac con-necon with other cies. The areais situated on the border of theKvarner Bay. It is only 30 kilome-tres away from the sea coast, andsome 22 kilometres away fromthe island of Krk.Teh new Zagreb-Rijeka motorwayis within easy reach. Fužine is also

easily reached by a romanc train

ride.The town of Fužine abounds inwaters. There are three arciallakes: Bajer, Lepenica and Potkošwhich t well into the Gorski Kotarlandscape. The lakes abound insh and are a true bait for sher-men. Clear waters are rich in trout,chub, marble trout, carp and pike.There are lots of yachng regat-tas, diving compeons, surng,boang, and canoeing acviestaking place at the lakes. Gameanimals in the dense Gorski Kotar

forests aract hunters.

Vrelo cave is one of the mostpopular tourist aracons. It wasdiscovered in the 1950s when theBajer Lake was being built. It iswell oodlit and visits with a pro-fessional guide are available. It is300 meters long and is the onlycave in Croaa which can be vis -ited and explored by tourists. Un-derground water ows throughthe cave.There are no stairs inside the caveso it is wheelchair accessible. Dueto its accessibility and aracve-

MagicalFužine

CROATIAN TOWNS CROATIAN TOWNS

Photo by: Milan babić Photo by: Tourist Board of Fužine




ness it is visited by people of allages.Fužine oers numerous sport-ing and recreaon programmes.Around the town there are ninemarked footpaths, cycle tracks,and hiking tracks. Tourists’ favour-ite spot is the promenade aroundthe Bajer Lake with accompanyingtrim-track. A gorgeous Gorica parkwith three tennis courts is an idealplace for sports and recreaon.In a lile place called Vrata thereis a sporng-recreaon centre˝Gmajna˝.There are many cultural and sac-ral monuments in the Fužine-Lika

area. St George’s church is the old-est one, and dates back to 1662,while the Church of St Anthony of Padua was built for 25 years, from1808 to 1833, and is the biggestone in the Gorski Kotar region.The Shrine of Our Lady of theSnow is also worth a menon.According to a legend it is a spot

where in 1733 Our Lady’s imageappeared in the snow. For centu-ries people have been vising theshrine in search of spiritual solaceand a place to pray. Every year atradional pilgrimage takes placeon 5th August. Instead of a hugechurch that was ruined in the Sec-ond World War, today a lile churchbuilt in 2002 stands on the spot.In the oldest selement of Lič(which was drawn on the Vene -an map in the 12th century)there is an extensive and uniqueLocal History Collecon contain-ing some signicant ethnographicitems and archival material.

Beginnings of educaon were verysignicant for the developmentof the Fužine-Lika area. The rstschool in Fužine was establishedin 1785. It is one of the oldestschools in this part o f Croaa andit has contributed to a high levelof literacy among the populaon.In the Fužine area three dialects

are spoken – stokavian, chakavianand kajkavian.Cultural sociees have a long tra-dion in Fužine, and Croaan RedCross Orchestra, which was es-tablished in 1848, holds a specialplace in the history of the town..The Orchestra is the trademark of Fužine. It successfully performs inthe country and abroad and hasover 50 members.Fužine is famous for its gastro -nomic oer. Great restaurants of -fer a range of authenc domescdishes, mushroom dishes, gamedishes, and forest fruits preparedaccording to the original recipes.

It oers cosy accommodaonin private homes, hotels, apart-ments, and mountain cabins, andyou can also enjoy wellness andspa programmes.There is always an opportunity forentertainment in Fužine. Someof the well known entertainingperformances and events include

“Summer in Fužine˝, yachng re-gaas, bikers’ gathering, summercarnival, various music concerts,harmony-singing groups.During the winter months carni-val fesvals, and Christmas andNew Year’s concerts of Fužine mu -sic are organized, together withthe unique New Year’s Eve Partywhich is thrown on 31st Decemberat the stroke of noon every year.We were inspired to write

about Fužine aer an arcle ina Croaan daily newspaper waspublished which said that manyforeign guests favor Fužine over“trendy” seaside resorts on theAdriac. Therefore, this featurehas been intended as an invitaonto all those who have never beento Fužine, as well as a reminder tothose who visited it and couldn’tremain immune to the irresisbilecharm of this small and pictur-esque desnaon.

CROATIAN TOWNS CROATIAN TOWNS

Photo by: Milan babić

Photo by: Tourist Board of Fužine

Photo by: Tourist Board of Fužine




29thSUMMEROLYMPICGAMESBEIJING 2008

CROATIA WON 5MEDALSThe biggest sporng event in theworld, Mount Everest of sporngcareer, the Olympic Games that

were held from 8th to 24th August2008, aracted a huge number of sport fans at the nal strengthtesng. All roads lead to the Chi-nese sporng Mecca – Beijing.The number of parcipants grewto 10 500. The representavesfrom 205 countries were compet-ing in 28 sports and 302 sporngdisciplines. The compeon tookplace at thirty-one compengsites, in seven Chinese cies.Croaan Olympians, 106 of them,tried their skill in een dierentsporng disciplines: athlecs, cy-cling, boxing, sailing, kayak, bas-ketball, swimming, handball, tabletennis, tennis, rie shoong, taek-wondo, water polo and rowing.On 28th July, at the Sheraton Ho-tel, on their way to Beijing Croaanathletes were seen o by CroaanPrime Minister Ivo Sanader whogave them words of support and

encouragement.The ceremonial send-o was at-tended by the Minister of Science,Educaon and Sports, Dragan Pri-morac, President of the Croaan

Olympic Commiee ZlatkoMateša, and numerous reputablepersons from polical and sport-ing life, as well as the Head of Mis -sion in Beijing, Damir Šegota.Some eighty world countries, to-gether with the USA PresidentGeorge Bush, Russian PrimeMinister Vladimir Pun, FrenchPresident Nicolas Sarcozy, andCroaan President Stjepan Mesićwitnessed a spectacular openingat the ˝Bird’s Nest˝ stadium, fol-lowed by reworks and fantascchoreographies of 11 000 per-formers.This mul-sporng event of the

year was covered by 20 000 ac-credited journalists, photojour-

nalists and TV sta and witnessedby hundreds of millions of specta-tors all over the world.One of the best handball play-

ers in the world, Ivano Balić, wasCroaan ag bearer and he ledthe Croaan Olympians. BeforeBalić, the same honour at summerOlympic Games was given to fourCroaan athletes.Aer the proclamaon of inde -pendence, the rst sportspersonto carry the Croaan ag wasGoran Ivanišević in Barcelonain1992. Four years later, in Atlan-ta, Perica Bukić did the same. InSidney Zoran Primorac carried the

ag, while in Athens Croaan agbearer was Dubravko Šimenc.

Five Olympic medals, two silverand three bronze, are the proof of an extraordinary quality of theCroaan sport. The Olympic win -ners are: Filip Ude, Blanka Vlašić,

Snježana Pejčić, Marna Zubčić,and Sandra Šarić. Croaan Olym-pic history is emblazoned withtheir names.The rst day of the Olympic com-peon brought good news forCroaa. The rst medal was wonby markswoman Snježana Pejčić,on 9th August. She won a bronzemedal in the rst discipline – air-gun 10 m. This t wenty-six-year-oldgirl from Rijeka ocially becamethe rst athlete to win a medalin Beijing. The bronze medal waspresented by the President of theInternaonal Olympic Commiee,Jacques Rogge.The second recognion forCroaa came on 17th August,when a young Croaan gymnast,Čakovec-born Filip Ude, came sec -ond in one of the toughest gym -nasc disciplines, side-horse.In a s compeon, the Euro -pean vice-champion Filip Ude got

15.725 scores, taking the secondplace in the world and achievingthe greatest success of his c areer.He was the last competor to dis-play his skill and he did it withoutmistake.A few days later, on 21st and 22ndAugust new accomplishments bytwo Croaan taekwondo hero-ines, Marna Zubičić and SandraŠarić, followed. Marna, a nine-teen-year-old Croaan taekwon-do representave, in a compe-on in 57 kg category, won the

third Croaan medal! She beatSung Yu-Chi from Taiwan in anaddional fourth round, and wonthe bronze medal Sandra Šarić,repeated the success of her col-league Marna by beang Asun-cion Ocasio Rodriguez from Puer-to Rico, in 67 kg category, winninga bronze medal.The grand nal of the Olym-pic Games on 23th August wasmarked by success of our athlecheroine. Namely, our world cham-pion Blanka Vlašić won a silvermedal with a jump of 205 cm inher second aempt. Gold went toTija Hellebaut from Belgium, who

jumped over 205 cm in her rst at-tempt. Russian high jumper, AnaČičerova won the third place witha jump of 203 cm.That was the rst Croaan med-al at the Olympics and the hCroaan medal in Beijing.The Croaan medal winnersand professional team were for-mally received by the CroataianPrime Minister, Ivo Sanader, andthe President of the Republic of Croaa, Stjepan Mesić, who pre -sented medals of the Order of theCroaan Wale to the medal win-ners.

13thPARALYMPICGAMESBEIJING 2008

GOLD AND SILVERMEDALS FOR CROATIANPARALYMPIC ATHLETESAnother elite sporng event tookplace from 6th to 17th September2008 in the capital of China – the13th Paralympic Games.More than 4000 athletes from sixdierent categories of disabilityrepresented 150 countries andregions of the world, in 471 com -peons, through twenty dier-

ent sports. The honour of Croaawas defended by 25 athletes withdisability who competed in: swim-ming, athlecs, rie shoong, ta-ble tennis, cycling and equestrian.At the opening the Croaan agwas carried by Marija Iveković.Croaan Paralympic athleteswere encouraged by the Vice-President of the Government andMinister of the Family, Veterans’Aairs and Intergeneraonal Soli-darity, Jadranka Kosor, who alsoaended the formal opening of the Games.Our Paralympic athletes wereextremely successful, winning

four medals - three gold and onesilver. Double champion AntoniaBalek, gold medal winner DarkoKralj, and the owner of silvermedal, Branimir Budeć, haveproved that hard work and per-sistence are the characterisc of all Croaan sportspersons.With four medals, Croaa wasranked 37th on the medals scale.On 10th September the Croaananthem was played for the rstme at the Paralympics. It was a his-toric eveningfor the disa-bled athletesin Croaa. Anathlete fromG r u b i š n oPolje, shot-puer, withabove kneeamputation,Darko Kralj,became the

rst CroaanP a r a l y m p i cwinner. Witha fantascseries, Kraljwas trying tobeat his ownworld recordof 14.04 m forve mes.A young jave-lin throwerfrom Kuna,

Branimir Budeć, threw 57.11m in the last series and won thesecond medal for Croaa - a silvermedal with golden shine.The seventh day of the compe-on at the 13th ParalympicGames brought another medalfor Croaa, the shiniest one. Awoman javelin thrower AntonijaBalek took the rst place and setthe new world record of 12.82m, compeng in the category of tetraplegic athletes.For Antonija that was just a startof celebraon. Two days later shewon new gold medal in shot-put.

Again she showed her superiorityand dominance by adding anoth-er medal to the collecon of theCroaan Paralympic medals.

We may well say that day by dayour athletes create history andleave their mark on Europe andthe world. Unpretenously, wecan also add that Croaa is trulya sporng naon and that sportrepresents a part of recognisableCroaan identy, culture and afairly young tradion.

SPORT NEWS FLASH SPORT NEWS FLASH




Documents

Croatia in Focus, br. 39, October 2008