The Assembly said Prodi was declared honorary citizen for his contribution to the protection of human rights and the international, inter-ethnic, inter-religious, and spiritual and ethic values that are included in the Istria County Statute. Istria County Assembly President Stevo Zufic said that by visiting Istria Prodi had contributed to the county's reputation and expanded the circle of its friends, giving strong support to Croatia on its path to the EU.
Thanking county officials on the charter declaring him honorary citizen and a gold coin with the emblem of Istria County, Prodi expressed confidence Croatia's EU membership talks would start by the summer.
I have always supported Croatia because I firmly believe Croatia and Italy are part of the same family -- Europe, Prodi said. I have always advocated Croatia's full membership of the EU because Croatia for me is a country which represents a mixture of the heart and the mind, like Italy, he said.
Prodi said he understood the current atmosphere of disappointment in Croatia, adding he believed that the disappointment would soon change into enthusiasm about Europe. It is the obligation of every European citizen to be loyal to his hometown, homeland and Europe, he said, adding though that those three things were not an alternative to one another but represented a wealth of diversity of many countries and peoples, which he said was the foundation of democracy in Europe.
Speaking about Prodi's merits, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic stressed the Italian official was a great supporter of Croatia-Italy cooperation and Croatia's friend who had helped the country win the place it deserved in Europe and European associations. Mesic strongly supported the strengthening of all European values and cooperation in Croatia. The President called on all Croatian regions to develop their identity and openness to others, stressing this was not only an international obligation but was in Croatia's interest and was its contribution to the united Europe.
"Everything else is a mere wish of those who would like to benefit from Croatia's isolation. We neither want nor can allow this," Mesic said.
Croatian Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic said Croatia must not give up on its plan to start the process of negotiations with the EU regardless of the postponement of EU entry talks, because the essence of European integration processes was the implementation of reforms and the wellbeing of citizens. She said Prodi was a great friend of Croatia who during his term in office in the European Commission had helped Croatia receive a positive avis and candidate status last June.