Montenegro celebrates Croatian People's Day

The Day of the Croatian People in Montenegro was celebrated on Monday evening with a ceremony in Kotor, at which it was noted that Montenegrin Croats "belong spiritually to this region, and in terms of identity, to their homeland, Croatia".

"For the fifth time, we mark the Day of the Croatian People in Montenegro with a ceremony and a concert," said Zvonimir Deković, president of the Croatian National Council (HNV) in Montenegro.

January 13 was chosen to commemorate the Croat community in Montenegro in honour of the year 809, when the relics of St. Tryphon were transferred from Constantinople to Kotor, CE Report quotes HINA.

The raising of the Croatian flag alongside the Montenegrin flag on municipal buildings in Tivat and Kotor on 13 January symbolises mutual respect and the indigenous presence and continuity of the Croatian people in the region, it was said.

"Raising the Croatian and Montenegrin flags is not merely symbolic. We are here to support and encourage you. We stand firmly with Montenegro, and I believe it will become an EU member. I sincerely wish that," said Sunčana Glavak, a Croatian member of the European Parliament.

Zvonko Milas, State Secretary of the Central Office for Croats Abroad and representative of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, highlighted that the Hrvatski Glasnik paper and Radio Dux serve as modern guardians of identity and a strong voice for the Croat community in Montenegro.

"The cooperation between Croatia and Montenegro has been good, as seen when the Josip Marković Community Centre in Donja Lastva was handed over to the Republic of Croatia, and it continues to serve the Croat community in Montenegro. We will continue working together for the benefit of the Croat people," Milas said.

On Tuesday, the Boka Navy non-governmental maritime organisation will hold a ceremony in Kotor, with Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman expected to attend.