ZAGREB, Feb 18 (Hina) - Following is the speech of Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic at his inauguration on Friday in Zagreb: Citizens of the Republic of Croatia, Distinguished guests from Croatia and abroad, Dear friends, I am
addressing you with a feeling of deep honour and responsibility towards the high office to which I have just been sworn in. The trust of the citizens of Croatia obliges me. I owe this honour to you, dear compatriots. Together with you, I will do my utmost to fulfil our common task of transforming Croatia into a truly democratic and just society. I will discharge my office responsibly and conscientiously. I will be the President of all the citizens of this country. I will be a citizen President. I wish to continue our companionship. All these years that are behind us, my meetings with you have both inspired and guided me in my political and public activities. From the Croati
ZAGREB, Feb 18 (Hina) - Following is the speech of Croatia's
President Stjepan Mesic at his inauguration on Friday in Zagreb:
Citizens of the Republic of Croatia, Distinguished guests from
Croatia and abroad, Dear friends,
I am addressing you with a feeling of deep honour and responsibility
towards the high office to which I have just been sworn in. The trust
of the citizens of Croatia obliges me. I owe this honour to you, dear
compatriots. Together with you, I will do my utmost to fulfil our
common task of transforming Croatia into a truly democratic and
just society.
I will discharge my office responsibly and conscientiously. I will
be the President of all the citizens of this country. I will be a
citizen President. I wish to continue our companionship. All these
years that are behind us, my meetings with you have both inspired
and guided me in my political and public activities. From the
Croatian Spring to the Croatian independence, from the first
democratic elections to the present day.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased and honoured to be able to welcome distinguished guests
from Europe and from around the world here today. I appreciate your
presence as another symbol of the wide international support to the
policy of the democratic transformation that our citizens voted for
on January 3, and again on January 24. This democratic breakthrough
is confirmed by my inauguration today. I am obliged to you for your
support and numerous congratulations.
After the parliamentary elections Croatia was warmly welcomed back
to the family of democratic countries of Europe and the world, as it
had happened on January 15, 1992, when it was internationally
recognized. I thank you for that once again.
In the discharging of my office I want to develop cooperation with
all those in the world who see Croatia as their friend and their
partner. And those are many, as we see and feel today again. I am
committed to strengthening of relations between our countries,
peoples and citizens. This will be my task and an essential part of
my presidential activities. The world today is globalized and
intertwined. As the President of the Republic of Croatia I will
support the integration of Croatia as a full participant and
partner into the international democratic mainstream with the all
power of my Office and with my total personal involvement.
As the President of the Republic of Croatia I will closely cooperate
with the Croatian National Parliament and the Government; with the
President of the Parliament and the Prime Minister. I wish to fully
contribute to the realisation of the Program of Changes proposed by
the Government and adopted by the Croatian National Parliament. Our
citizens voted for these changes, and after the years of waiting and
sacrifices they certainly deserve them.
I would like to use this opportunity to join the appeal made by the
Prime Minister to the country: let us join forces and create such
Croatia as we, its citizens, dream of and deserve.
We all want Croatia to become a truly democratic society. We are
committed to strengthening of all the institutions of the rule of
law: to ensuring full respect of human and minority rights, freedom
of the media, and to establishing a stable and lasting framework for
the market economy and a socially just society. We are committed to
carrying out the equal development of Croatian regions; from the
mainland to coast, sea and islands, so that all of Croatia should
benefit from its richness in its diversity. I will therefore
support the decentralisation of the state, the development of local
self-government, and the freedom of initiatives from all parts of
Croatia. All this is for our benefit today. But, it will be of great
benefit also for the coming generations free of historical and war
burdens.
Indeed, the generations before us had been trying to achieve this,
in different stormy times and circumstances. Croatia has always
been a country of promise and opportunity, but because of it, also
an intersection of different interests. Here and today we have an
extraordinary chance and responsibility to create a society which
offers opportunity to those who are capable and honest. A society
that at the same time offers social security to all those who have
built the years of their life and labour into their homeland
Croatia.
I will take special care of all the homeland war participants and
members of their families, those true heroes of our homeland war,
when the foundations for the independent and sovereign Croatia were
created. I will do everything to contribute to the return of
displaced persons to their homes in safety and dignity.
As the President of the State I will act in accordance with my
constitutional powers against social injustice, crime and
corruption and against all forms of abuse of power. All our citizens
must be equal before the law, regardless of age and sex,
nationality, religion or political belief. Our every citizens has
the right to life in dignity and to the prospects of a better
future.
Politics is not only or primarily a mere craft or technology.
Politics without morals and respect for ethical values loses the
sense of humanity. It becomes a burden and harm for the nation and
its citizens, and a barrier in relations with the democratic world.
In the new, post-election Croatia there is no room anymore for such
a "sin of the government institutions."
Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests,
Dear citizens of the Republic of Croatia,
Croatia wants to live in peace and cooperation with its neighbours.
With all those who already have been, or hopefully in the near
future will be able to share the values of the democratic world. We
shall do everything we can to contribute to making this entire
geographical and political region stable and secure, democratic
and prosperous.
We shall respect our international obligations. We are open to
cooperating with all peace-loving and democratic countries. We are
also ready, together with them, to search for the best answers to
complex and difficult challenges of the modern world. The emerging
new world order does not mean the creation of one unified state, but
of a community of states that share common values of peace,
democracy and prosperity.
Therefore, in this globalized world, Croatia has to find its place
and earn the respect it deserves with using all the intellect and
diligence; ability and determination of its state institutions,
and commitment and contribution of its civil society. This relates
to our economy, but also to other national priorities. I believe
that such policy and such achievements will qualify us as an active
partner and a reliable member of the large European and Euro-
Atlantic family.
Such a prosperous Croatia can and must be the best support to the
Croatian people as one of the three constituent peoples in the
neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to the Croatian national
minorities in other countries as well.
Such a successful Croatia will cease to be a country of centuries of
emigration of its sons and daughters. Croats living all around the
world have helped from the bottom of their heart create the Croatian
state. We invite all of them to find once again the motivation for
and the faith in the cooperation with their mother country, either
in their old or new homeland.
I appeal to all of you to get together and to help integrate a new
democratic Croatia after it had been willed into life by its people
during the homeland war - into Europe, from which we have been
unnecessarily absent. Let us act together and let us act
determinedly, so that Croatia becomes a member of the European
Union and NATO as soon as possible.
I would like to ask all guests and our friends, those who are here
and those who were unable to come, but have sent their
congratulations and welcomed the results of the elections as a
democratic turning-point in the development of Croatia, to give us
their full support in our endeavors and to be our partners, so as to
contribute to the realisation of our strategic goals.
Dear friends,
Many significant events, happy and tragic ones, in the history of
our country took place at this square. Let me share with you my sense
of hope and optimism that now with the will, capability and work of
all the citizens of our country we can open a new road for Croatia.
Croatia as a democratic and successful state in the decade and in
the century which are beginning.
Thank you all once again for your trust and support. They will be in
the basis and the lasting motivation for me in meeting and
discharging the demands of this high office.
Let us set off on this journey together and go for this task without
any delay.
(hina) ms