ZAGREB DAYS IN PODGORICA
October 2 – 4, 2006

Zagreb Days in Podgorica, arranged by Milan Bandić and Miomir Mugoša, mayors of the capital cities of the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro, started on October 2, 2006, with the presentation of the Zagreb Holding. A media conference was held after a two-hour work meeting, at which the head of the Zagreb delegation - Deputy Mayor Ivo Jelušić and Vice-President of the Municipality of Podgorica - Dragan Mijajlović expressed satisfaction about the continuity of the cooperation between the two cities in the sphere of economy and culture, and emphasized that Zagreb was the first capital city whose representatives visited Podgorica as the capital of independent Montenegro. The participants agreed that the experiences of the City of Zagreb in organizing companies and the City Administration would be exceptionally valuable for Podgorica, ahead of its constituting a new City Administration. The President of the Republic of Croatia, Stjepan Mesić, also supported cooperation between the two cities by a letter of support.

The cooperation between the two cities has already been realized, and the Engineering Institute of Croatia has designed a preliminary and major project for the part of the mini ring-road/flyover and a bridge over the Ribnica River. Podgorica is also interested in Zagreb’s model of m – parking, after it founds a company similar to Zagrebparking.

The Fire Fighting Association Zagreb at the same time presented at the Firehouse Podgorica the organization of protection and rescue, as well as organizing protection against fire, whereas the representatives of the Office for Education, Culture and Sports arranged cultural exchange between the two cities.

The exhibition of Zagreb’s academic painter Zlatko Keser was opened in the late afternoon and was followed by the play "Visiting Mr. Green", performed by Pero Kvrgić's theatre company, at “Budo Tomović” cultural and information centre.  

Apart from the representatives of the City Government and Holding, Podgorica was also visited by the representatives of the Tourist Association of the City, Croatian Chamber of Commerce – Zagreb branch, National Community of Montenegro in Zagreb and representatives of several Zagreb companies.

The second day of the three-day manifestation of “Zagreb Days in Podgorica” started by a presentation of the head of the Zagreb delegation and Deputy Mayor Ivo Jelušić of the structure of the Administration of the City of Zagreb, with a review of its companies, city institutions, financial and economic indicators, social welfare payments, and relation to the citizens and citizens’ associations.

During the presentation of the City of Zagreb, attended by the Mayor of Podgorica Miomir Mugoša, Deputy Mayor Ivo Jelušić particularly emphasized the participation of ethnic minorities in the public life and management of the local activities through the councils i.e. elected representatives.
The day was marked by the meeting of entrepreneurs from Zagreb and Podgorica, and technical workshops of six city offices: Mayor’s Office, Control Office, Office for Strategic Planning and Development of the City, Office for Economy, Office for Labour, Social Protection and War Veterans and Office for Education, Culture and Sports.

As emphasized on several occasions, the main expectations from this meeting, held in the capital city of the youngest country in the world, are the development and advancement of further cooperation between the two cities in the sphere of economy, culture, tourism, science, social welfare and health protection.

A poetry evening, at which the verse of Tin Ujević, Miroslav Krleža and Zagreb entrepreneur Ladislav Prežigalo was read, was organized as a gift to the citizens of Podgorica.

The Mayors of Zagreb and Podgorica, Milan Bandić and Miomir Mugoša, held a media conference on the last day of the celebration of Zagreb Days in Podgorica, and expressed satisfaction with the results of the three-day event and announced further strengthening of the cooperation, particularly in the sphere of economy, social welfare policy and culture. The Mayor of Podgorica thanked Zagreb for sharing its valuable experience in managing the city and companies, which would help Podgorica in its structuring of a new City Administration and city-owned utility companies.

At a conference at Podgorica hotel, the Mayors announced Podgorica Days in Zagreb, which should be held at the end of 2007. They also pointed out that Zagreb was the first among all capital cities to visit Podgorica as the capital of independent Montenegro. The celebration of Zagreb Days in Podgorica ended with a ceremonial concert of the Zagreb Philharmonic at the National Theatre, as a gift from the City of Zagreb to the City of Podgorica.

Billboard in Podgorica	Opening Zlatko Keser’s exhibition
Presenting the Holding	Media conference of mayors of Zagreb and Podgorica
One of the workshops	Poetry evening