At the celebration today the European Movement Croatia presented its annual award for the European Speech of the Year to the Governor of the Croatian National Bank Dr. Boris Vujčić. The main incentive for this reward was the Governor's public speech at the Annual conference of the Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb on 26th October 2012.

The President of the European Movement Croatia Dubravko Mihalić pointed out, however, that the consideration process for this award, which has been presented since 2003, takes into consideration the overall activities, and above everything else the efforts that the winner has put into preserving values advocated by the European Movement as well, together with his contribution to the international promotion of the Republic of Croatia.

Governor Vujčić pointed out, while receiving the sculpture created by Krešimir Roda which is the symbol for this award, that he was particularly honoured to be awarded for his first public speech after taking his current duty, especially since it was presented in the week of Croatia's accession to the European Union which ended the comprehensive pursuit in which he participated as deputy of chief negotiator for finance.

However, as Governor of the CNB pointed out in his speech, the accession to the EU, which despite the current crisis is a huge and successful project which granted its members higher growth rates and accelerated approximation of standards, does not imply that the reform and adjustment implementation process is completed. Hence the institutional pressures within the EU shall continue, and which is even more significant, market pressures shall continue as well.