[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12031-12032]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     TRIBUTE TO THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA FOR CELEBRATING THE NINTH 
ANNIVERSARY OF ITS INDEPENDENCE ON MAY 30, 1999, AND FOR OPENING A NEW 
             CONSULATE GENERAL IN CHICAGO ON APRIL 8, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Republic of Croatia for celebrating the 9th anniversary of its 
independence on May 30, 1999, and for opening a new Consulate General 
in Chicago on April 8, 1999.
  I am proud, and especially proud today, to be one of the more than 2 
million people of Croatian descent living in the United States who have 
maintained their links with Croatia. Croatian Americans arrived in the 
United States with little except for the belief in the ``American 
Dream'' and a perseverance to succeed and watch their children excel. 
Since they first arrived in large numbers in the United States more 
than one hundred years ago, Croatian Americans have done well in all 
aspects of American historical, socio-cultural and political life. 
Their sons and daughters have grown up to be doctors, lawyers and other 
professionals who have served the country which welcomed their 
ancestors with open arms.
  Croatia is a country rich in history, culture and beauty. Its people 
have a special appreciation for the United States and Americans. A 
Croatian poet, Antun Gustav Matos, wrote in 1906 that ``America is 
presently the most important factor in the creation of Croatian 
democracy, the best school of Croatian vitality.''

[[Page 12032]]

Today these words are even more meaningful than they were in 1906.
  We all remember Croatia's lengthy war for independence that made 
headlines worldwide in the early part of this decade. We celebrated 
when Croatia finally broke from the Serbian-dominated Yugoslavia in 
1991, after such great loss of human life, to become its own 
independent country. Today, we stand with the Croatians to pay tribute 
to their courage and perseverance. We pay tribute to Croatia's fully 
functioning, democratic political structure, and its commitment to 
further economic development.
  I also want to pay tribute to the Republic of Croatia's opening of a 
new Consulate General in Chicago on April 8, 1999. The three-day series 
of events entitled Croatia in Chicago was the largest gathering ever of 
the Croatian community in the U.S. and it demonstrated that the 
partnership between Croatia and the U.S. is constantly being 
strengthened. One particularly special event was a Gala Dinner 
organized by the Croatian community in Chicago. There were 1,400 guests 
in attendance and the revenues of the dinner went to benefit the 
children's hospitals in Croatia.
  Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the remarks of 
Ambassador Robert Gelbard at the Groatia in Chicago event. Mr. Gelbard 
said ``As our trade and business ties grow so must Groatia's 
integration into the full range of Western and Euro-Altantic 
institutions.'' I believe we must do all we can to help Croatia achieve 
these goals, and we must continue to reinforce to the Croatian people 
that our goal is a full partnership with Croatia. Finally, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in paying tribute to th Republic of Croatia for 
celebrating the ninth anniversary of its independence and for opening a 
new Consulate General in Chicago.

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