Inauguration of Grabar-Kitarović to cost more than 150,000 BAM

The inauguration of Croatia's newly elected president Kolinda Grabar Kitarović will be held on February 15, Croatian media report.

As announced, this inauguration will differ from the previous two, when the presidents of Croatia were Stipe Mesić and Ivo Josipović.

The protocol will be extended and will not last only 30 minutes as before. The elected president, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, has her own wishes.

New national elements will also appear. At her request, there will be a guard, a sash, and some parts of the program that have not been included until now.

The sash of the President of the Republic of Croatia is a symbol of presidential honor, consisting of three colors (red, white, and blue), arranged as on the flag of the Republic of Croatia. The sash is bordered with a gold edge. In the middle of the sash, on the front side, in a white field, is the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia, bordered with a gold edge, decorated on the left side with embroidered golden oak branches, and on the right side with golden olive branches. The sash is worn diagonally over the right shoulder across the chest to the waist, where it is joined with a clasp to the other end of the sash. The clasp is square-shaped and bordered with gold braid. In the center of the clasp field is a symbol identical to that on the flag of the President of the Republic of Croatia, but without the inscription on the ribbon.

The sash was worn on ceremonial occasions by Franjo Tuđman, while presidents Mesić and Josipović did not continue this practice.

The cost of all the new president's wishes will be around 600,000 kuna, which is more than 150,000 BAM. This price certainly includes accommodation and travel for foreign delegations