Croatian Parliament: Exceptional interest for Open Day

Zagreb – Croatian citizens showed great interest in visiting the building of the Croatian Parliament during the Open Day event which took place for the first time on the occasion of May 30, the Day of the Croatian Parliament marking the first Constitution of the multiparty Parliament.

First citizens were already there at 9 a.m. although it was announced that the door would open at 10 a.m. There were hundreds of people patiently waiting at Saint Marko Square to see behind doors that are rarely open to the public, such as session rooms for working bodies of the Parliament, protocol rooms, Small Hall where Upper Chamber of the Parliament used to hold sessions, Grand Hall where plenary sessions are held.

Citizens saw numerous works of art inside the building and heard interesting stories from the history of the Parliament. There is a great painting by Jadranka Fatur in Ante Starčević Room called "Parliament at Session" marking the moment when the first Croatian President of the Republic Franjo Tuđman proclaimed the "Christmas Constitution". Protocol Room called Banska soba, used by the Speaker to get to the Plenary Hall, is adorned by Venetian crystal chandelier donated from the private collection of Count Eltz to the Parliament. The Grand Hall has mostly been redecorated through private donations of Croatian Diaspora. Among other exhibits citizens could also see Parliament’s Reports from 1861.

Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Josip Leko spoke with a group of citizens announcing that this event of Open Day could become a traditional one due to extraordinary interest.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (one hour longer than programmed) 1300 people took part in visits. (Hina)

Autor: Press Office/Hina