Božidar Kalmeta, Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure
Five Stars Croatia Issue 5 — April 01, 2010.

It is a privilege to work and to care for islands. Anyone who visited even the smallest island in our beautiful Adriatic Sea must have felt the joy of living and working on those small continents. We, who have been a part of the story of 1,246 island pearls for years, became prisoners of a beauty \"embraced by the scent and the salt, sprinkled by ever-thirsty soil\".

Unfortunately, not all of us are equally blessed to live in these areas. During the last decades, the natural and cultural heritage has been more treaded on, disintegrated and forgotten rather than preserved, and the harmony of the autochthonous and the new has been seriously disrupted.

The problem is very complex and can not and will not be related only to Croatian islands. However, the results of imbalance in small, sensitive areas are more visible, the devastation greater, and the damage often immeasurable. On the other hand, the process of globalization is unstoppable and we often fear with every right that we will be "swallowed" by the large, wealthy world.

Due to the desire to preserve the essence of our islands and islanders, emerged a story of love entitled the "Croatian Island Product“. In early 2007, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure initiated the project of visual labelling of island products with the label "Croatian Island Product". Taking into consideration the National Island Development Programme and the Islands Act, the project’s preparation took several years.

The intention of the "Croatian Island Product" Project is to stimulate and develop the island production and to improve the quality of the island products, which should incorporate the characteristics of island tradition, research, development and innovation, but also the promotion of Croatian islands as areas of special concern to the Republic of Croatia.

The goal is to introduce quality products to domestic and foreign markets. The European Union pays great attention to the manufacture of traditional products (in relation to the stimulation of rural development), and on Croatian islands there are numerous autochthonous, high-quality products which can become a significant export brand.

These are the products manufactured as a result of island traditions, research and development, innovation and inventiveness, whose level of quality must be quantifiable. They originate from limited island sites and they are manufactured in small series.

The decision on the award of the label is left up to the independent technical commissions, whose members are well known Croatian experts in corresponding fields. The label may only be awarded to products that satisfy all of the prescribed requirements. The final decision is made by the Project Council.

"Croatian Island Product" label has been awarded for the last three years and this label of quality has been rewarded to 46 island manufacturers for the total of 129 products and product lines. It proves that our intention, concerning the project, is fully accomplished. Self employed island manufacturers have been encouraged to stay located on the islands and produce the highest quality products, while the consumers got the opportunity to taste the excellence of their newest products.

Each island product represents a small piece of art woven from the finest lace of multicentennial mentality and life philosophy, which guards the tradition of national identity. After two years, we can take pride in an enviable number of excellent products bearing the label of the "Croatian Island Product".

There are wines which would make even the best wine stores proud, coming from the localities extending from the Island of Korčula to the Island of Krk, such as Postup, Plavac, Vugava and Žlahtina, island delicacies such as hib from the Island of Vis, the Korčula cukarin, or the Rab cake which was served to many dignitaries throughout history. And there is no point in talking about the cheeses, limoncello, sardines, rock samphire, baškotin, honey, liqueur, brandy, ... – they have to be tasted.

And finally, do not forget our inedible products made of the Cres wool, soaps, body oils, the Brač stone or the Pag lace. Light a candle in a candlestick made of Brač stone, put on a pair of warm slippers made of Cres wool and taste the products bearing the label of the "Croatian Island Product". Like in a fairytale, each taste carries you home to the island, and you can smell the scent of immortelle and sage, feel the sea drops on your face, see the sun ... you live the island.