The Croatian Academy of Medical Sciences in Zagreb on Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of its establishment at a ceremony at which President Ivo Josipovic presented its representatives with the highest state decoration, the Charter of the Republic of Croatia, for the Academy's contribution to the promotion of biomedical sciences in Croatia and beyond.
"Your results, numerous publications, activities abroad, successes, discoveries, patents, new technologies, new medical procedures - all that truly is an important contribution to the quality of our lives," Josipovic said in his address to Academy members.
Josipovic expressed hope that the medical profession and politicians would find a way when the time came to provide "equal conditions for medicine in Croatia as exist in Europe, the same conditions for work, for science and for promotion, so that we could avoid a situation in which our doctors would leave the country to work abroad."
Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor recalled that the Academy was celebrating its 50th anniversary at a time when Croatia was approaching the completion of its EU entry talks.
She expressed the government's support for the Academy, saying that Croatia would bring to the EU "all the scientific achievements of its doctors."
"It is a fact that you published 100 books in half a century, thus contributing significantly to the medical science not only in Croatia, but also in Europe and the rest of the world," the PM said.
The ceremony was also addressed by Parliament Speaker Luka Bebic.
The Croatian Academy of Medical Sciences is the third oldest such academy in the world and it is the umbrella institution of top Croatian medical researchers, its mission being the promotion of biomedical sciences.
