GREETINGS FOR THE NATIONAL DAY OF CROTIA

MINISTER OF WELFARE AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS,

MR. MEIR COHEN

26.6.2013

Your Excellency, the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Pjer Šimunović,

Distinguished Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps in Israel,

Dear Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased and honored to represent the Government and the People of Israel on this festive occasion marking the National Day of the Republic of Croatia and to bring our greetings and our best wishes to the Government and People of Croatia.

First, my Government wishes to congratulate Croatia for its adhesion to the European Union expected in a few days. Israel welcomes this move and sees most positively the entry of Croatia, a friendly state, a state with which we share common values and particularly warm relations, to the Union.

Just less than a month ago in the Heart of Zagreb, the Capital of Croatia, we have celebrated together with you the Independence Day of Israel with a full week of selected cultural events. Alongside fine Israeli movies, Dance performances by an Israeli Dance Group on different Croatian stages, and a String Quartet from the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, all these seasoned with food tastings prepared by an Israeli Chef within the Israeli Food Week and the Special Dance Performance"Shakatak". We were happy that the President of Croatia and his wife honored us with their presence on the Day of our Celebration.

In fact, the Israeli Cultural events in Croatia have become very famous and are considered as an attraction by various Croatian quarters. So it was for example in Zadar last year.

In the economic field, a non-negligible number of Israeli businessmen invest in Croatia and are aware of the existing opportunities to promote Projects. It is well known that the Pharmaceutical Company Pliva was purchased in the past by (the Israeli Multinational) Teva  which will soon open  a research center there. There is also  wide talk about one of the major investment schemes in Croatia, the construction of the Golf Project estimated at one billion dollars and promoted by (the Israeli businessman) in Dubrovnik. Similarly, in the field of water as well as in other infrastructures areas, there exist impressive cooperation programs.

The links between the two countries are broad and cover many areas. Leading Israeli scientists and researchers such as the Nobel Prize winners Prof. Yonat and Prof. Ciechanover, have visited lately Zagreb to deliver lectures and meet with the top research people in Croatia. The interest in the Israeli inventiveness continues to serve as a basis for ideas of future cooperation between the two countries.

Moreover, the 40,000 tourists in both directions strengthen the idea that the potential in this area is great.

We hope that the mutual visits and exchange of delegations in specific areas will multiply in the coming years and produce a broadening of the trade and the links in the fields of education, science and defense.

We regret the leaving of the Croatian troops engaged in the Peace Keeping Force in the Golan (UNDOF) during the last months. We did our best to allow for a speedy and smooth departure and we are hopeful that in the future we will benefit from the presence of Croatian troops in peace forces in our region.

We hope that the entry of Croatia in the EU will signal the continued stabilization of the Balkans and encourage the peoples of the region to promote solutions to their conflicts through agreements while keeping in mind their adhesion to the Union and having that of Croatia before their eyes.

I wish you much success in the European Union and hope that alongside the process of Croatia's integration in the EU, you will continue to try and reach an understanding with your neighbors including those who were bitter enemies in the past.

I wish and us as well, security, peace, economic strength and regional stability.

To conclude, Mr. Ambassador, please convey our best greetings to the President of Croatia, its Government and its people and may the relations of friendship and cooperation between Croatia and Israel continue to grow and flourish in the years to come.

Thank you