Presidents of Slovenia and Croatia open a new bridge between the two countries
Rogatec, Hum na Sotli, 2.10.2010 | press release, speech
The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, and the President of the Republic of Croatia, Dr Ivo Josipović, opened a new bridge across Sotla, connecting Slovenian Rogatec and Croatian Hum na Sotli.
The two Presidents met at the middle of the bridge where the border line runs between the two countries, and with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opened the newly constructed bridge for traffic.
The bridge will be used by Croatian company Vetropack Straža, a manufacturer of glass packaging products, for a simplified transport of its products to warehouses on the Slovenian side of the border. Afterwards, the Presidents of Slovenia and Croatia visited the warehouse of manufactured products and the glass manufacture.
In his statement to the press, President Dr Ivo Josipović said that we witnessed today the opening of a new bridge. He emphasised that bridges connect. They connect Croatia and Slovenia, two friendly countries, and at the same time enable a simplified passage of people across the borders.
He expressed satisfaction with the opening of the bridge and added that this action will also influence the local economy. He highlighted the glass factory in the town of Hum na Sotli as a factory, which remains ambitious and successful also in the time of the economic crisis.
President Dr Danilo Türk described today's event as a deeply symbolic one, ending a phase of cooperation during which the two countries had to open certain bridges, which were not yet open. He emphasised this was the last bridge in the series, thus indicating that the two countries truly made a large step forward and that new trust and new intensity of cooperation has been instated.
The President emphasised that now a phase of cooperation begins, for which it will be even more significant that the Government bodies in both countries expedite the coordination within the Government and a better cooperation with municipalities for a faster resolution of border issues. It is not only about cases such as the one today, stated the President, and as an example listed the management of waters, of which the recent floods reminded us. He added that this very practical phase of cooperation is possible since good mutual trust exists.
Afterwards, the Presidents of Slovenia and Croatia attended the ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the company Vetropack Straža and of glass manufacturing in the town of Hum na Sotli.
Address by Dr Danilo Türk, President of the Republic of Slovenia, at the ceremony of the 150th anniversary of glass manufacturing in the town of Hum na Sotli
Hum na Sotli, 2 October 2010
Distinguished Guests,
Esteemed President of the Republic of Croatia, Dr Ivo Josipović,
Allow me first to join in the congratulations on this important jubilee, the 150th anniversary of your factory and manufacture, and on your good results in this period. I would like to say that today’s ceremony is full of diverse symbolism.
First, we should not underestimate, on the contrary, we must appreciate the symbolism of glass manufacturing and of everything it is contributing to our common identity. During my life, I have been on many visits abroad as the President of the Republic and also earlier. When asked which part of Europe I am from, I always explained that I come from the part of Europe where one of the elements of identity is glass manufacturing in its various forms – from crystal, whose home is not far from here, to manufacturing of glass packaging products, whose home is here.
When we look at the results today, we must not overlook the fact that here, every day, 11 different products are manufactured on 11 production lines. As the General Director of the company, Dragutin Špiljak, told me, 450 different projects, different types of packaging products, were created during the lifespan of your factory. That is a considerable achievement. An achievement, contributing to our industrial identity and to the industrial identity of this part of Europe. This must be known on both sides of the border and we must be able to appreciate this. Today, we are here to say this.
We must also appreciate a different symbolism, the symbolism of our mutual cooperation, which must be based on mutual respect and mutual trust, and which must be practical. When President Josipović and I first met since he has become President, he told me that during his term in Office he would like to, as soon as possible, make our cooperation helpful practically, to help the people along the border. We agreed that we will take advantage of every opportunity to jointly demonstrate our commitment to cooperation, which resolves practical issues of people along the border.
I am very pleased today that we have this opportunity and that I may say this is one of the last issues of this type: the need to build bridges to save a specific cooperation, which urgently requires this, and in which we have been lagging behind until now. We are going forward now. From our developed symbolism of cooperation, we can also develop new results.
Today, I would like to emphasise that I have a feeling, perhaps I can say this is already an assessment, that in the last period, in this past year and particularly since Dr Ivo Josipović is President of the Republic of Croatia, we have reached such a level of mutual trust and respect that we may truly reassess our relations and find that, in resolving practical issues, the communication between the bodies of Slovenia and the bodies of Croatia is no longer the hardest part. Rather, we must each do all we can on our own territory: for a better coordination of our ministries, for an even better connection between the municipalities and the Government, and to ensure that both our systems operate efficiently on both sides. This efficiency is crucial for successful cross-border cooperation.
I suggest you consider this. I wish for our path forward to be with few delays, with few obstacles, and for us to actually strengthen the efficiency of our work at home so that we may cooperate better across the border.
And finally, I am here today because I would like to see these places along the border. I am here, in the town of Hum ob Sotli, for the first time today. I am pleased to be among you and that you accepted me as part of your own celebration. I join in the celebration with a feeling that we share the same cultural and industrial identity, that in the continuation of this celebration there will be cultural programme, and to wish you, as your other guests, even more success and excellent results in the future. Thank you.