The National Community of Montenegrins of Croatia and Rijeka every year organises the celebration of the national holiday PETROVDAN, which this year will be accompanied by a number of cultural manifestations called PETROVDANSKI SABOR 2010. The Montenegrin delegation arrives in Rijeka on the occasion of this holiday and the main celebration will be held at the ski resort Platak on Saturday.

The Montenegrin delegation composed of the representatives of the cultural society "Matica Crnogorska", the National Community of Montenegrins of Croatia and Rijeka and the Council of the Montenegrin National Minority is led by Rifat Rastoder, Vice President of the Montenegrin Assembly.
Welcoming the guests from Montenegro, the president of the City Council Dorotea Pešić Bukovac emphasised that in Rijeka, known for its multicultural character, live the representatives of 21 national minorities and the City of Rijeka and the City Council maintain successful cooperation with them. With their activities in Rijeka on all levels, they realise their minority rights significantly above the legal framework, owing to which Rijeka can serve as an example not only for Croatia, but also much wider.

On behalf of the Montenegrin delegation, Rifat Rastoder, Vice President of the Montenegrin Assembly, thanked for the reception, emphasising that the visit is an excellent occasion to thank the City of Rijeka for everything it has done for the representatives of the Montenegrin national minority living in Rijeka.
Rastoder also emphasised that the Croatian community in Montenegro is small, but it has a long tradition of activity whereby it has left a deep mark on Montenegrin culture.
As the head of the City Office, Ksenija Linić, emphasised in the course of the reception, next year the third consecutive elections for the Councils of national minorities will be held. The City of Rijeka has very good cooperation with all the national minorities, in particular in the field of culture, and at the next meeting of the City Council to be held on 15 July, a motion to sign a twinning agreement with Cetinje, forwarded to the City Council by mayor Vojko Obersenel will be discussed.
The reception was attended by the associate in charge of the realisation of the national minorities' rights, Verena Lelas Turak.
(I.N.)