Op-ed

I want to emphasize that CROWN is not supporting any particular politicalparty in Croatia. We want intellectual bridge and transfer of ideas and respectto flow over the oceans and continents that divide us. Continue to talk to eachother and keep the dialog opened and learn from each other.

Nenad Bach

Editor-in-chief

Dear Readers of the CROWN:

From our beautiful and beloved homeland I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – Sretan Bozic i Nova Godina. For the twelfth year we rejoice to celebrate these great holydays as citizens of a sovereign, independent country. Your contribution to that wonderful fact will never be forgotten.

I am, however, also sad that Croatia and the Croatian people have not fully realized their potential. As you probably know, the country is undergoing a crisis – political, economic, moral – a crisis of leadership. Yet, we at the DC – "Democratic Center – the Croatian Center Party" look forward to future with confidence. This is to a great extent because of people like you. For thanks to you, our sisters and brothers all around the world, the Croatian community, the Croatian people, is much stronger than it may seem. We know that the way to a secure and prosperous future for Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Croatian people lies in true integration and cooperation of Croatian communities all around the world. The CROWN has been one of the key instruments of that process.

DC has taken concrete steps toward that noble goal. It fully realizes that Croatian diaspora is a complex body of people emigrating for over 200 years, and that we must be able to reach and communicate with every segment of that large group. DC will never discriminate among the Croatian communities abroad, nor will it ever try to politically divide them. In that we are in a total agreement with the practices of the CROWN. We are aware of the importance of diaspora’s presence in every sector of Croatian life, and we will be proposing concrete measures to have Croatian diaspora represented in relevant offices, ministries, and committees at home. We are proposing a High Office for the Diaspora Affairs, a non-partisan, efficient, and flexible body to keep in touch with the Croatian World Community – the Global Croatia – on a daily basis. DC has also appointed a Special Advisor on Diaspora Affairs. Your comments and suggestions are more than welcome.

Croatia is a beautiful and potentially very rich country. Believe me, its cultural and natural resources are still about 90% unspoiled. We, at DC, believe that it should remain so. We believe in a strong, modern Croatia, open to the world, but maintaining its traditional values and virtues, a Croatia which may join the world community as a proud individual subject, not an object. We know that we can count on you in pursuing those noble goals.

With this in mind I again wish the CROWN, its contributors, and readers all the best in the name of the DC members, and my own.

Dr. Mate Granic, President,
DC – Demokratski centar – Hrvatska stranka centra
DC – Democratic Center – Croatian Center Party. 

demokratski-centar@demokratski-centar.hr