Plenković makes an official visit to Zadar County

As part of a one-day official visit to Zadar County, the Croatian Prime Minister took part in the Croatian Island Product (HOP) award presentation ceremony for 2020 and 2021 in Pag on Friday. The prime minister noted that HOP is an excellent example of promoting indigenous products.

During his one day official visit to Zadar County and the Island of Pag, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković joined Pag Mayor Ante Fabijanić in a ceremony presenting local producers with the Croatian Island Product certificate. "This initiative, which has been operational since 2007, is truly an excellent example of fostering economic development, indigenous cuisine and agricultural produce, and everything that can be summed up as the true identity of Croatian islands," the prime minister said.

Mayor Fabijanić said that local government will continue to support local producers: "We believe that in cooperation with the relevant ministries, Zadar County, and with the full support of the Croatian Government, we will be able to continue to back producers on the island in their work, and ensure for them even better working conditions and the placement of these high quality and original products."

After Pag, the prime minister also visited the town of Maslenica, where together with retired General Ante Gotovina, he paid tribute to Croatian veterans killed in Operation Maslenica, which took place from January 22nd to February 1st in 1993. The offensive re-established a secure land route between the north and south of the country.

"In light of the 29th anniversary of Operation Maslenica, which liberate a large chunk of Croatian territory here in the Zadar hinterland, and, at the time, made Croatian territory, which was still in large part occupied, more accessible, this is an opportunity for all of us to remember all those Croatian defenders, soldiers and police, who gave their lives for Croatian freedom, the Croatian state and the centuries long dream that generations of Croatians had longed for," Prime Minister Plenković said.

General Gotovina noted that Croatian freedom came at a high price: "By about the end of the year, in the fall, there were some 180 killed, and hundreds more injured, and we pay our respects to those people, because they are the reason we have a modern and safe country, and a free society today."

Source: HRT