A solemn session of the Makarska City Council was held on Friday, 23 October, at the Apfel Arena, where Makarska City Day and the 161st anniversary of the historic decision to introduce the Croatian language into official use were marked.
The President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, attended the ceremony, along with the envoy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Minister for Environmental Protection and Green Transition Marija Vučković. Among the guests were Matej Mišić, President of the Zagreb City Assembly, and representatives from the friendly cities of Roseto degli Abruzzi, Olomouc, Stein, Vukovar, Budva, Kavadarci and Travnik. Representatives from numerous other cities and municipalities, county and city councillors, and many other guests also attended.
This year’s solemn session was characterised by music, marking the 200th anniversary of the Makarska City Music. On this occasion, the highest city honours were awarded to laureates whose work is linked to Makarska’s musical tradition.
Gordana Muhtić, President of the City Council, opened the solemn session, reminding attendees of the historic decision by Makarska’s ancestors who, 161 years ago, fought for the official use of the Croatian language. Before the mayor’s address, guests watched a video titled The City That Is Changing, which presented the most important city projects realised over the past year. These included the completion of the urban park Peškera, the construction of an annex to the Biokovsko zvonce Kindergarten, and the start of works on the future branch of the Juraj Bonači Centre for Education and Upbringing, a joint project of the City of Makarska and neighbouring municipalities. On the occasion of City Day, a new edition of the newspaper Grad Makarska info was also printed.
Mayor Zoran Paunović described the past year as a year of delivery and thanked the employees of the city administration, city enterprises, public institutions, schools, and all those who contributed to the realisation of numerous projects. He reminded attendees that music has been cultivated in Makarska since 1826 and that the City of Makarska is the founder of the primary and secondary music school. He concluded his address with a performance of the piece Orientale on the trumpet, accompanied on the piano by Petra Šošić.
President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović, in his address, highlighted the exceptional natural beauty of Makarska and Biokovo, and emphasised the importance of preserving space as the foundation of quality of life and the city’s tourism future. He warned against excessive dependence on tourism and the need for responsible management of natural resources, and also addressed the challenges of waste management and the importance of timely implementation of infrastructure
