Drandic was presented with the Ordine della Stella d'Italia (Order of the Star of Italy ), with the title of Ufficiale (Officer), by the Rijeka-based Italian Consul-General Paolo Palmintieri at a ceremony in the Istria County capital of Pazin on Tuesday. The Order is conferred by the President of Italy.
Drandic said that this honour was a recognition of his work on connecting people in the two countries. He added that although some of the projects had failed, he was ultimately pleased with the results of cooperation.
Speaking of relations between Croatia and Italy, Drandic cited Croatia's bid to join the Schengen area, the connection of the two countries by a motorway and the modernisation of the railway as the most important projects in Istria that would better connect the people and economies of the two countries.
Palmintieri thanked Drandic for his tireless work on promoting ties between the two countries, noting that Drandic had promoted the twinning of several Istrian towns, such as Buzet, Vodnjan, Svetvincenat and Cerovalje, with Italian regions in the last few years.