Saturday, 25 January 2014, Croatia
THE PRESIDENT VELJANOSKI MET THE MACEDONIAN COMMUNITY IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
The President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski, in the framework of the official visit to the Republic of Croatia, yesterday and today had several meetings and associations in Croatia.
The representatives of the Macedonian Community in the Republic of Croatia informed the President Veljanoski and the Members of the Delegation on their organizations and their work, activities and realized projects.
In accordance with the Census in 2011, about 4500 Macedonians live in Croatia, organized in 22 cultural associations and unions, which are supported financially by the state on central and local level.
The President of the Macedonian Community in the Republic of Croatia underlined that the Community was established in 1991 and that it has been functioning in the past 22 years as ethnic and national community, as non – profit and apolitical association.
Its activities are in direction of preservation of the national identity and entity, cherish the language, folklore, written word, cultural and natural treasures of the Republic of Macedonia, historic facts and truth, as well as close contacts with the motherland and cooperation with its institutions.
6 Macedonian Cultural Associations are functioning in the framework of the Community, located in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, Split, Zadar and Pula.
The Program activities of the Community are financed by the State Budget of the Republic of Croatia, through the Council on National Minorities in the Republic of Croatia, funds of the Ministries of Croatia and Macedonia, as well as funds on the level of cities and districts, but also with individual sponsorships.
The Representatives of the Macedonian Community underlined that the realization of the programs are presented through the Croatian Radio Television, via the multinationals program on national minorities, radio shows for national minorities, daily newspapers and other media.
Macedonians in Croatia informed the MPs that they are satisfied with the treatment from the Republic of Croatia, that the Amendments of the Constitution from 2010, mention Macedonians and another 21 national minorities in the Preamble.
They also underlined the level of cooperation and the relations among all members of our community, expressing pleasure from the possibility for additional lectures in Macedonian language in Osijek, Zagreb, Rijeka, Pula, Zadar and Split. They underlined that they, as representatives of the Macedonian Community, are loyal, conscious and responsible towards the Republic of Croatia.
The President Veljanoski and the MPs were informed that the Government of the Republic of Croatia supports the activities of the Macedonian national minority in the church municipalities; that a construction area for Macedonian Orthodox Church, first in this area, was provided. All necessary preparations for the realization of the project have been made and the construction of the church and several multifunctional facilities is expected to start this year.