The Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, extended his congratulations to fellow citizens on Statehood Day. The full text of his message is as follows:

Dear residents of Dubrovnik,

Dear fellow citizens!

Today we celebrate the greatest Croatian holiday, a symbol of the independent and sovereign Republic of Croatia, built on the foundations of the sacrifice of Croatian defenders, freedom, and democracy. Thirty-four years ago, on May 30, 1990, a historic decision with far-reaching consequences was made. The first democratically elected multi-party Parliament was constituted, which, in the words of the first Croatian president, Franjo Tuđman, represented the first step towards the return of the Croatian people and their state to the European civilization, political, cultural, and economic tradition.

This paved the way for the transition of our country into a sovereign Croatian state, today a full member of the European Union and NATO. Everything we proudly celebrate today on this anniversary, we owe to our defenders who gave their lives so that the centuries-old dream of our own state could be realized. It is precisely they, our fellow citizens, family members, neighbors, and friends, who contributed to the achievement of the common goal by giving the most precious thing they had—their lives and their future. For this reason, we promise them that we will never forget their sacrifice and that we will always remember the Homeland War with pride and respect.

Dear fellow citizens, on behalf of the City of Dubrovnik and myself, I wish you a happy Statehood Day of the Republic of Croatia.

Mayor

Mato Franković