Dean Prof. dr. Pál Perjési, Prof. dr. József Deli, dr. Tímea Bencsik and dr. Nóra Papp together with dr. Márk Győrvári (Mayor of Szentlőrinc) and dr. Róbert Győrvári (Szentlőrinc) visited Virovitica (Croatia) on 24 January 2017.
The delegation had a meeting with Ivica Kirin, Mayor of Virovitica, and his colleagues (Tihana Harmund, Development Agency) about the economic situation of the city and common future tendering opportunities (Fig. 1).
This meeting was followed by a visit in DAM Company, Lozan (Fig. 2-3), which is the largest chamomile cultivating and processing factory in Croatia. The company was introduced by Mario Mareković: this family-run company was established in 1998 and today they are processing about 800 tons of chamomile per year with the machines that are all the company’s own development.
The next program was a visit in Spider Grupa Company, Pitomača (Fig. 4). This also family-run company was introduced by Diana Bartolić. They are mostly focusing on chamomile, but they process many other herbs, as well. The delegation could see the steps of the processing and the own laboratory of the company, where they can do the most important chemical analyses of the herbs before processing. Both DAM and Spider Grupa Companies agreed that the most possible cooperation between them and our university would be chemical analyses of the herbs thereby further improving the quality and safety of their products.
The last meeting of the delegation was with Milan Vanđura (Croatian Chamber of Economy), who presented more common possibilities for cooperation between Virovitica and University of Pécs, Pharmacy School (Fig. 5), e.g. “Viroexpo”, the International Fair of Economy, Crafts, and Agriculture. Finally, the last program was the visit of the old pharmacy and the treasury exhibition of the Franciscan monastery and the church of St. Rocco (Fig. 6).
In the near future, the management of University of Pécs, Pharmacy School is planning to welcome a delegation from Virovitica in Pécs in the hope of discussing further the common future plans.
Tímea Bencsik
Department of Pharmacognosy
Pharmacy School, University of Pécs
Fig. 1. Mayor's office, Virovitica
Fig. 2. DAM do.o. Lozan
Fig. 3. Visiting the DAM Company
Fig. 4. Spider Grupa Company
Fig. 5. Meeting with the local management of the Croatian Chamber of Economy
Fig. 6. Porcelain pots in the pharmacy of the Franciscan monastery
(Photos: Nóra Papp)