Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic attended a Croatian Island Product award ceremony for 2020 and 2021 in the town of Pag on Pag island on Friday, saying it was a great example of promoting the economy, cuisine and farm products.

The Croatian Island Product designation is awarded by the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry. For 2020, it was given to 27 producers for 45 products and for 2021, to 23 producers for 78 products.

The designation is given to applied arts and design products, chemical products, foodstuffs and beverages.

To date, the designation has been given to 320 producers for 1,094 products from 24 islands.

The prime minister said the islands were part of Croatia’s riches and among the most attractive tourist destinations.

“Tourists want domestic product, the Croatian Island Product. The producers have tried to emancipate all our tradition in a visible and recognizable way,” he said, adding that the government has “enhanced the strategic framework of improving life on the islands as well as the legal, program and financial framework of extending support to the islands.”

He recalled that the islands are part of the national development strategy up to 2030.

Had there been no coronavirus, he said, all topics would have focused on climate change, which affects life on the islands. He underlined the green and digital tradition, saying that the latter is a huge opportunity for island people.

“We have opened the labor market to digital nomads as well as to our people. One can actually work from any part of the world via internet platforms. It’s necessary to establish a stimulating enterprise infrastructure. There’s also nature and environmental protection and the use of renewable energy sources. Everything will continue to be done so that people continue to live on the islands and Pag is one of the brighter examples,” Plenkovic said.