On behalf of the City of Rijeka, the Ambassador of Canada was received by the mayor of the City of Rijeka Vojko Obersnel and vice-mayors Željko Jovanović and Miroslav Matešić. Mr Loughlin has been assigned as ambassador since September 2009, and in addition to Croatia he is also responsible for the territory of Kosovo. Ambassador Loughlin has already been to Rijeka as a guest during the Days of Francophonie, however as at that time the mayor was on an official journey, the meeting did not take place.
During the reception the guests expressed the support of Canada for Croatia's accession to the European Union as soon as possible, which will favourably influence the economy on the whole, as well as the position of the port of Rijeka which could become among the most important European ports for Eastern and Central European countries. As emphasised by Ambassador Loughlin, Canada had given strong support to Croatia's admission to NATO, and a couple of days earlier it had withdrawn visas for Croatian citizens, thus confirming an improvement in the relationships between Croatia and Canada, which would positively impact the strengthening of business co-operation, and would increase tourist visits between the two countries.
Ambassador Loughlin was interested in the attitude of the City of Rijeka concerning the sale of the Croatian shipyards, and mayor Obersnel said that unfortunately, local self-government had no influence on the course of the tender for the sale of the shipyard nor on the events taking place at the shipyard. However, the events taking place at the shipyard and the outcome of the tender significantly influence the city, because the preservation of jobs of many of Rijeka citizens in the future depends on it. The situation is not promising, and the fact that the Government has not yet given any reply to what would happen with the shipyards in the case that the tender fails, certainly does not help.
„During the world crisis all the states backed up their national economies, while we are expected to carry out a tender under circumstances far from being ideal for sale, and we find this unfair“, pointed out mayor Obersnel.
The hosts and the high guest also talked about the large Croatian community in Canada, made of numerous emigrants, who immigrated to Canada mainly before World War II. As mayor Obersnel, said, among them had also been his grandfather who had immigrated to Toronto. Ambassador Loughlin intends to visit Istria, and he announced that during his term of office in Croatia he would certainly be visiting Rijeka.
(I.N.)