Mayor Amir Muzur thanked von Habsburg for everything he had done for the promotion of Opatija and Croatia in Europe, adding he was pleased that von Habsburg had agreed to sponsor the "Opatija - Central European Museum City" project.
Opatija City Government member Jan Bernd Urban said von Habsburg was declared honorary citizen due to his assistance to Croatia during the 1990s Homeland War.
Von Habsburg is 95 and a member of the European Parliament. He is the oldest member of the former imperial and royal Habsburg dynasty.