"Independence Day bears witness to the fact that only a modern, democratic and European Croatia can justify the selflessly made efforts and sacrifices," Seks said.
He recalled that this year Croatia officially became a candidate for membership in the European Union and that the date for the start of membership talks was set, which, he said, brought the country closer to its goal of becoming an equal member of the community of countries sharing the same democratic and cultural values.
Seks warned that becoming a full member of the EU was not an easy process and that it required a lot of work, compromise and self-sacrifice, as was the case with other candidate countries.
He reiterated that Croatia was not embarking on extensive reforms only for the sake of admission to the EU, but primarily for the sake of ensuring better living conditions for its citizens.
"We are only a few years away from the EU. It is up to us to set the pace of progress and the quality of reform processes."
Another strategic priority is membership in NATO, Seks said, pointing to the important role of the Sabor and its representatives in achieving the strategic priorities.
"After the last EU member country ratified the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the European Parliament and the Sabor will soon form a joint parliamentary committee," he announced.
The parliament is expected to continue the timely and successful adjustment of national legislation to EU standards, the parliament president said.
Independence Day is celebrated as one of the most important dates in Croatia's recent history, something desired by many generations, Seks said. The path to that day, he added, was very long and difficult most of the time.
On October 8, 1991 the Sabor made the historic decision to sever constitutional relations with other former Yugoslav republics and provinces. The decision was made at the time of fierce attacks by the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and Serb terrorists on Croatian towns and villages and one day after JNA jets bombarded the building housing the offices of the then Croatian president Franjo Tudjman.
Because of the attack, the parliament held the session in secret in the basement of an oil company INA building in downtown Zagreb.
Today's special session of the parliament was attended by the highest representatives of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities, church dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps, and other public figures.