production facility
Construction of a production hall in Jasenovac, Croatia
Holy Mass for the economic recovery of Croatia celebrated in Jasenovac
JASENOVAC – At the Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas, on Tuesday at 10:30 AM on October 9, 2010, on the day of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, a Mass was held in honor of Our Lady Queen of Peace and for the recovery of the economy in the Republic of Croatia. The Mass was presided over by Father Smiljan Kožul, and around ten priests from three dioceses – Zagreb, Požega, and Sisak – concelebrated.
A multitude of believers, businesspeople, and politicians attended the Mass in Jasenovac, as it was held prior to the ceremony marking the commencement of construction works on the forest biomass power plant in the industrial zone of Jasenovac.
Marijana Glavinic dedicated the Holy Mass for the recovery of the economy in Croatia, inviting businesspeople, politicians, and the priests who concelebrated from the three dioceses: Zagreb, Požega, and Sisak. The intention was for everyone to pray together for the intentions of Our Lady, the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, for the recovery of the economy in Croatia.
Former Member of Parliament Marijana Petir attended the Holy Mass in Jasenovac. She told us that this Mass was dedicated to the recovery of the economy because it is not enough to just work, but also to pray, and spiritual renewal should precede economic renewal.
The Holy Mass was led by Father Smiljan Kožul, and around ten priests from the three dioceses of Zagreb, Požega, and Sisak concelebrated. Dr. Fra Smiljan-Dragan Kožul OFM was born on February 28, 1942, in Turcinovici, a village in the Široki Brijeg municipality in Herzegovina. He completed four years of primary school in his hometown and four years of lower gymnasium in Široki Brijeg, where he also completed the first year of higher gymnasium. In 1958, he transferred to the Franciscan Classical Gymnasium, Kaptol 9, where he graduated in 1962. He became a Franciscan in the Croatian Franciscan Province of Saints Cyril and Methodius on August 16, 1960, by taking his religious vows. He studied theology in Zagreb for the first three years and in Salerno, Italy. He was ordained as a priest on June 29, 1968, in the Zagreb Cathedral by Cardinal Franjo Kuharic. At the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome, he obtained a Master’s degree in theology in 1969. He was a professor at the Franciscan Philosophical Institute in Trsat and at the Higher Theological School in Rijeka for six semesters from 1969 to 1972, where among the students were the current Zagreb and Rijeka archbishops (Cardinal Bozanic and Archbishop Devcic). From 1972 to 1977, he studied Canon Law at the Pontifical University Antonianum, where he earned a Doctorate in Canon Law and served as a professor of sacramental law from 1977 to 1988. He has published an extensive book in Italian on the sacrament of marriage, titled “Evoluzione della dottrina circa l’essenza del matrimonio dal C.I.C. al Vaticano II” (Evolution of the Doctrine on the Essence of Marriage from the C.I.C. to Vatican II).
He has published several articles on sacramental law in various journals. In 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Defender of the Bond at the Congregation for the Sacraments, a position he held until his return to Croatia in 1988. Together with the Servant of God, Father Aleks Benigar, he led the process for the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Fra Smiljan returned to his homeland in mid-1988 and was appointed as a judge at the Second Instance Archbishopric Marriage Tribunal in Zagreb, a position he held until 1999 when the Interdiocesan Court of First and Second Instance was established for the Zagreb Archdiocese and the northern Croatian dioceses (Zagreb, Požega, Varaždin, Dakovo-Osijek, and the Eparchy of Križevci). He currently serves as the Defender of the Bond at the Court of First Instance. During the difficult moments of the Croatian War of Independence, with the cooperation of numerous priests, religious, laypeople, and monks, Fra Smiljan founded the Rosary Movement for Conversion and Peace. The Rosary Movement was initially approved for the Zagreb Archdiocese by Cardinal Franjo Kuharic with a decree dated October 28, 1993, and in the following months, it was approved by all other bishops of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, except for Ratko Peric, the Bishop of Mostar. The founders of the movement unanimously proposed Fra Smiljan as the spiritual director, and he was appointed by Cardinal Franjo Kuharic. Since the Rosary Movement was established to achieve a spiritual revival of the Croatian people, its fundamental task is to foster unity in prayer for that intention. For this purpose, the Rosary Movement prints and distributes promotional materials and books. Millions of copies of brochures for the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as for the novena and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, have been printed. Fra Smiljan also founded Radio Marija at the beginning of March 1994, in collaboration with his closest associates from the Rosary Movement. Cardinal Franjo Kuharic issued the decree of approval on March 11 of the same year. Radio Marija fulfilled his dream of a radio station that would tirelessly promote the Christian voice in family homes throughout Croatia. He transferred his long-standing experience from working at Vatican Radio and RAI to Radio Marija. During the time of communist darkness, on Italian state radio, Fra Smiljan was the editor of a Croatian-language program for a full 10 years, which informed the citizens of the former Yugoslavia about the overall cultural, political, and religious life in the free world. Since 2000, he has been a regular collaborator at Croatian Catholic Radio, hosting the program “From the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” systematically presenting this fundamental document of the Catholic faith, as well as the theological program “On the Road to Emmaus.” He frequently conducts seminars on inner liberation and healing in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, addressing both Croatian and German believers.
Fra Smiljan Kožul presented the rosary kissed by Our Lady to Pope John Paul II on March 7, 1986, in Rome. A multitude of believers, entrepreneurs, and politicians attended the Holy Mass in Jasenovac because it took place before the ceremony of the commencement of construction works on the forest biomass power plant in the Jasenovac industrial zone.
During the presentation of the Forest Biomass Power Plant project in Jasenovac, the representatives of the media were addressed by the directors of RES Invest Holding from Vienna and members of the Management Board of RES Bioenergija Jasenovac d.o.o., Mr. Karl Huber and Mr. Mario Ortner. RES Invest Holding, an Austrian company, represents one of the largest companies that develop and finance renewable, sustainable projects that meet specific criteria.
The conference discussed the increasing importance of utilizing energy from renewable sources due to limited oil and natural gas resources, rising energy prices, global market crises, as well as the significant potential of forest biomass in Croatia as a developmental lever for the recovery of the Croatian economy. The program included:
10:30 – Press conference (lasting approximately until 11:00)
11:30 – Official opening and project presentation by the management of RES Bioenergija Jasenovac d.o.o., with a brief speech by Austrian Ambassador Mag. Jan Kickert, representative of the Austrian Economic Chamber Dr. Roman Rauch, Member of Parliament Ms. Roksandic, Ms. Marijana Petir, Deputy Prefect of Sisak-Moslavina County Mr. Andrija Rudic, and Mayor of Jasenovac Ms. Marija Mackovic. Representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Croatian Forests d.o.o., and Forest Biomass d.o.o. were also expected to speak.
12:45 – Formal commencement of construction works with the blessing of Reverend Mario Cimbala.
Austrian company RES is one of the largest companies developing projects with renewable energy sources. RES Bioenergija Jasenovac will begin the construction of a biomass power plant worth around 30 million euros in the Industrial Zone of Jasenovac. The investors are the Austrian company RES and Drvopromet Marijana. On Monday, October 27th, the construction site of the future power plant was visited by Alexander Fischer, the director of RES Invest Holding from Austria, Josip Brezak, the chief supervising engineer from Tehnokom company, and Marijana Glavinic, the owner of Marijana-Drvopromet. On this occasion, the director of RES Invest Holding stated that the preparatory work for land clearing and other construction activities will start next week, and the first electricity production and the employment of around 50 employees are expected in 18 months. The investors plan to have a facility with a maximum thermal power of 23 MWh and a maximum electrical power of 5 MWel. The power plant will use 60,000 tons of wood chips annually. “We have been waiting for this project for 13 years. I have sent numerous letters to all the political parties in power, but there was no help. I feel that our homeland requires a lot of prayer… with prayer and sacrifices, such large projects can succeed and help stop emigration from Croatia.”
The biomass power plant was supposed to start operating in 2012. Together with Tehnokom company from Zagreb, which helped prevent the project from failing back in 2008, I reached out to the Austrian investor,” said Marijana Glavinic.
During the presentation of the biomass power plant and the firewood factory in Jasenovac, Austrian investors attended and chose my location. Documentation has been prepared, and we are still awaiting the signature of the Croatian Forests. The project has been saved twice by extending the construction permit. Along with the power plant, there should be a factory for split firewood, and exports to Italy, Austria, Germany, and other countries are planned.
“Being a believer, I truly believe that only by God’s providence have these projects fallen into place with my great sacrifice, desire, and will to prevent them from failing and to create new job opportunities, and to do something beautiful for my town, county, and the whole of Croatia.
The plan is to employ around a hundred highly educated young workers from the wider Novska area, and the completion of the project is expected by the end of 2023.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me with their prayers for the success of these projects,” said Marijana. She intends to share all the challenges she faced in initiating the project in Croatia in her upcoming book.
