President of the Republic Zoran Milanović, together with his wife, Prof. Dr. Sanja Music Milanović, met with Croatians living in New York on Sunday.
"Croatia is in the European Union and NATO, that is a beautiful thing, but it must not mislead us into taking our eyes off our real interests for a moment. Anyone who speaks differently and fantasizes about some kind of centralized Europe is not speaking well and is not telling the truth. Europe is not a state, and as a Croat, I do not want to live in such a state," said President Milanović to members of the Croatian community who gathered at the Croatian Center in the Croatian parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius and Saint Raphael in New York.
Croatia is not a cube in the European Union
"Croatia has a state of four million people. Having a state with four million people is a huge thing. The Croatian state is a combination of the courage and hearts of the Croatian people who created it. The Croatian state is not a cube in the European Union. I am not disappointed with what the European Union has become because it is within my expectations and it is just a tool for us," emphasized President Milanović.
He added that when and if Europe becomes a large centralized state, Croatia will no longer have a place there. "We have experience with such structures. Brussels should not become a center where everything and anything gets mixed up, and in the end it produces nothing," said the President. "We should look at Croatian interests. We are loyal, reasonable, and sincere, we do not play behind our backs, but we will not be puppets. We must not put ourselves in a situation where our interests are manipulated by anyone, but we must know how to define them well," believes the President of the Republic.
In Dayton, things are clearly defined whether it's stealing, embezzling, or kidnapping.
In his address, President Milanović also addressed the position of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in this regard, he stressed that he did not agree that "things were not defined clearly enough in Dayton". "The problem is that they are defined clearly, but people are stealing, embezzling and abducting. It would be less of a problem if they were unclear and that this required additional consultations and discussions. Quite simply, Croats are being deprived of their rights, and they are expected to be loyal citizens. This people must be given their rights to elect their representatives", said President Milanović.
Before the meeting, he spoke with Fr. Lovro Šimić in the church's parish hall and attended Holy Mass with his wife. The Croatian parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius and Saint Raphael is the center of religious and cultural life of the Croatian community in New York and the surrounding area. It has been operating in New York since 1974, is led by Croatian Franciscans, and makes a great contribution to the preservation of the Croatian language, culture, and customs in that part of the United States, as it brings together Croats from four federal states – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
President Milanović arrived in New York to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which begins on Monday with the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the UN. The President of the Republic's address to the UN General Assembly is scheduled for Wednesday.
Photo: FAH/Damir SENCAR
