SVETI ROK, Oct 16 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Saturday morning marked the completion of the digging the Sveti Rok tunnel through Mount Velebit. He was the first to draw in a car through the tunnel from the tunnel's
northern side in Lika to its southern part in Dalmatia.
SVETI ROK, Oct 16 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on
Saturday morning marked the completion of the digging the Sveti Rok
tunnel through Mount Velebit. He was the first to draw in a car
through the tunnel from the tunnel's northern side in Lika to its
southern part in Dalmatia.#L#
In the tunnel, President Tudjman met workers of the Split based
company of 'Konstruktor' and the Zagreb based company of
'Hidroelektra', to congratulate them on the successful completion
of works. This 5661-metre-long tunnel through Velebit is now the
longest one in Croatia followed by the "Ucka" tunnel. The works on
it officially began on 16 August 1993. To date, the Croatian Road
Administration has invested 351 million kuna (approximately 50
million dollars)
After that Croatian President addressed gathered people in front of
the southern entrance to the newly-dug tunnel (part in Zadar
County).
At the beginning of his address Tudjman again thanked constructors
for their efforts to dig this tunnel.
The President said the digging of tunnel Sveti Rok is a part of the
historical evidence that Croatia undertook necessary steps for the
timely overall progress of the country.
When the construction of the tunnel started in its southern side,
the northern part of Mount Velebit was still under occupation.
"But the start of works was the only way to create prospects for
Croatian man and to ensure development," Tudjman said adding few
believed that such a tunnel would be constructed.
"But, I believed in ordinary Croatian man who had both awareness and
strength to accomplish what we could not do for centuries," Tudjman
stressed.
He also told the gathered that the digging of the St.Rok tunnel
proved that one people can achieve everything when it takes its
destiny in its hands.
"We have shown that we will not be subject to influence of others and
that we shall strive to develop our homeland. If we had not suffered
from war destruction and occupation, all what we are building now
would have proceeded more smoothly. We, however, succeed, in this
way as well, and everything has therefore a higher price, and future
generations will show their greater appreciation for this," he
said.
"Today there are also some who would like to push us back into Balkan
frameworks which will be even worse than conditions in which we used
to be," Tudjman cautioned adding that "we should not let such
persons to have another Croatia which would not have or conduct its
own policy." After everything it experienced, I am sure that the
Croatian people will know how to ensure a better future and remove
all kinds of misuse and hindrances in its overall development.
On this occasion Tudjman was accompanied by a few ministers, his
aides, and local authorities.
(hina) ms