A solemn session of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Konavle (Općina Konavle) was held in Cavtat on Wednesday, as part of the celebrations marking the 33rd anniversary of its founding and the 34th anniversary of its liberation. The session was opened by Council President Ivo Simović, during which awards were presented to laureates and two mayoral thank-you letters were handed out.
Numerous guests attended the session, including a delegate of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property, Branko Bačić. Also present was a delegate of the President of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, who is also the Dubrovnik-Neretva County (DN) prefect, Blaž Pezo, as well as a delegate of the Minister of Croatian Veterans, Toma Medved, Colonel Darko Katuša. Among the guests was State Secretary at the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, Zrinka Raguž.
The session was also attended by the Croatian Ambassador to Montenegro, Veselko Grubišić, and the General Consul at the General Consulate of Croatia in Kotor, Jasminka Lončarević. Present were also the President of the County Assembly, Nikola Dobroslavić, Deputy Prefect Joško Cebalo, and a representative of the City of Dubrovnik, Ante Vojvodić. Among the guests were the mayors of the Dubrovnik Parish (Župa dubrovačka), Marko Miloslavić; the Municipality of Ston, Vedran Antunica; the Municipality of Dubrovnik Hinterland, Nikola Knežić; the Municipality of Vinica, Branimir Štimec; the Municipality of Ravno, Andrija Šimunović; and the Municipality of Brinj, Zlatko Fumić, as well as a delegation from the City of Novalje, Marina Šćiran and Nenad Peranić.
The session was also attended by the Chief of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Administration, Ivan Pavličević, and a delegate of the Bishop of Dubrovnik, Monsignor Roko Glasnović, Father Mato Karamatić. Alongside them, the session was attended by other representatives of public life, representatives of numerous veterans' associations from the wider Dubrovnik area and all of Croatia, as well as many residents of Konavle.
An appropriate speech was delivered by Mayor Božo Lasić, and other high-profile guests also addressed the assembly. Lasić stated that this is a day of pride and gratitude, but also an opportunity to recall everything they have been through and to look at what they can still achieve together. He conveyed that Konavle is not just a space on the map, but their home, their roots, memories and families, and that they did not inherit this region just to preserve it, but to pass it on responsibly to the generations that follow.
"With special respect, we remember the fallen Croatian defenders and all victims of the Homeland War," Lasić said, adding that they remember the occupation, persecution, burnt homes and days of uncertainty, but also the bravery of their people, the return, reconstruction and victory. He emphasised that the freedom they live in today was paid for with sacrifice and that this obliges them to be responsible, honest and dedicated to the community, and never to forget its price. "Being the mayor of Konavle is a great honour, but an even greater obligation," he said.
Lasić emphasised that behind every request that comes to the Municipality stands a person, behind every problem a family, and behind every decision someone's life. "Therefore, I do not measure success only by projects and figures, but by whether we have made life easier for people, provided them with security and shown them that they are not alone," he said. He particularly highlighted the new primary school in Cavtat, worth more than 24 million euros, as one of the largest investments in the future of Konavle. "Its value is not just in the amount, but in every child who will learn in it, every teacher who will work in better conditions and every family who will know that their children have what they deserve," he said, adding that investing in children is not an expense, but an investment in the future.
The mayor announced continued support for kindergartens, extended stay programmes, pupils and students. "We want young people to learn, progress and develop their abilities, but also to return, stay, work and found families in Konavle," he said, adding that they need housing, a kindergarten, a school, healthcare and good transport connectivity for this, and that their needs must be at the centre of decisions. "We have an equal responsibility towards the older residents, who have been creating Konavle for decades, working the land, raising children and preserving our customs," Lasić said. "Therefore, support for accommodation in the Home for the Elderly on Gruda and more accessible healthcare services is not just a matter of politics, but also of gratitude and human dignity," he emphasised, conveying that they want their elderly to live safely, with respect and without the feeling of being forgotten.
"A large part of our work relates to communal infrastructure," Lasić said, citing the water supply and sewage project on Ljuta, the development of the Zvekovica–Obod direction, and investments in roads, pavements and public lighting, which means safer roads, easier access to a doctor and better conditions for daily life. "We must not forget any part of Konavle," he said, because every settlement has the right to developed infrastructure and accessible services. "A shop in the village, a bus line or transport to a doctor enable someone to continue living in their home," he said, adding that he will always advocate for solidarity because, as he highlighted, not all parts of Konavle live in equal conditions, but they all belong to the same community. "Where it is easier, there must be understanding for those for whom it is harder. No one must be forgotten," he said.
The development of the Račić Family Park and the Cavtat Green Network project are important for the daily life of their residents, Lasić said, adding that they need developed spaces for walking, rest and meeting, as well as preserved nature and clean public spaces. "Tourism brings income and opportunities, but also responsibility," he said, highlighting that they must responsibly manage traffic, parking and communal infrastructure, and that its success must be seen in the better quality of life of the people who live here all year round. "Konavosko Polje is also important to us," he said, because consolidation and better conditions for working the land require persistence. "We want our farmers to have a perspective and for the land we have inherited to remain cultivated," he said, adding that agriculture is not just an economic activity, but also part of their identity. "We will continue to advocate for better road connectivity towards Debeli Brijeg, which is important for safety, the economy and the daily functioning of Konavle," he said.
"I particularly want to highlight water and waste management," Mayor Lasić said, assessing that these are issues that concern every home and every family.
