President Ivo Josipović stated at the Christmas reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb that 2013 must be a turning point.
– We have reason to believe in success. The year 2013 brings EU membership and a huge opportunity that we must seize – he emphasized. According to him, we are entering a year of great challenges. Let us make an effort to revive the economy and eliminate the injustice caused by the economic crisis, and sometimes by the poor functioning of state institutions and the judiciary, Josipović stressed.
He called on everyone in Croatia to make an effort to revive the economy and eliminate the injustice caused by the economic crisis but, as he said, sometimes also by the poor functioning of state institutions, the judiciary, and the absence of ethical and moral postulates in public services, politics, and the economy. Corruption in 2013 must not reside in Croatia, the president emphasized, adding that it is the greatest evil of a democratic society and economy and the main obstacle to the moral development of society.
Poverty and destitution, Josipović said, unfortunately do not knock on our doors, but are present in many Croatian homes. This state must end. It is time for all institutions, individuals, non-governmental organizations, professional societies, and religious communities to consider how they can better utilize their, not only material wealth but also spiritual, for the public good, President Josipović emphasized. I look forward to the year 2013, not only because we are leaving behind a difficult year and not only because I think that in 2013 we will not face major and difficult challenges, but because I am convinced that Croatia has the strength to confront problems and has the strength to solve them, the president stated, wishing all Croatian citizens a happy and successful New Year.
