Putting the image of Nikola Tesla on the national side of the euro coin, which was announced by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković if Croatia becomes a member of the Eurozone, would represent the appropriation of the cultural and scientific heritage of the Serbian people, according to the National Bank of Serbia (NBS). This is because the famous scientist declared himself a Serb by origin and gender, the NBS states and adds that, if that happens, appropriate actions would certainly be taken against the competent institutions of the European Union, in order to point out the inappropriateness of such a proposal.
Let us remind you, Plenković announced that the image of Nikola Tesla will be on 50, 20 and 10 cent euro coins. The Croatian Prime Minister explained that Tesla was chosen as the most desirable by an internet poll, that he kicked out Dubrovnik and “entered the top five”. According to him, the following proposals crystallized – chessboard, map of Croatia, kuna, Nikola Tesla and Glagolitic alphabet. He added that the chessboard will be the background, and then it would go in order – a map of Croatia for two euros, a kuna for one euro, for 50, 20 and 10 cents of Tesla and for 5, 2 and 1 cent of Glagolitic alphabet.
Different motifs on the reverse
The National Bank of Serbia reminds that the design of euro banknotes is the same regardless of the country that prints them, and the design of coins is regulated by the relevant Regulation of the EU Council of June 24, 2014. It is a regulation on denominations and technical specifications of euro coins intended for circulation, and according to it, euro coins have one common, European side, which is the same on all euro coins, the so-called obverse and another national, reverse side, which differs from country to country and bears the mark of an EU member state.
On the national side of the euro coin, there must be a circle composed of 12 stars, which is the symbol of the EU, which completely surrounds the national design, and the member state itself decides which motifs will be displayed inside the stars, according to the NBS. For example, Italy has two-euro euro coins with a portrait of Dante Alighieri, and a one-euro euro coin features a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci showing the ideal proportions of the human body. Greece, on the other hand, has a scene from a mosaic in Sparta from the third century AD on a two-euro euro coin, which shows the goddess Europa kidnapped by Zeus in the shape of a bull, and an euro coin depicts an owl modeled on an old Athenian four-coin. drachma.
The National Bank of Serbia says that states usually form commissions, composed of artists, numismatists, engravers, politicians, who choose the national design of the euro coin from several proposals. They also explain that the national design of a euro coin is decided by the EU member state that uses the euro as a common currency and that it can be changed only after 15 years, unless the head of state changes earlier or this is required to prevent counterfeiting of euro coins. expiration of the said term.
Approved by the EU Council
The state is obliged to inform other EU members about the draft designs of the new national sides of euro coins, and the request for design approval is submitted to the EU Council. The procedure is such that the Council of the EU approves the design of the national side of the euro coin if the technical conditions are met and if there are no objections from other member states that use the euro as a common currency.
“In case there are objections, and they are possible when the proposed design of the national side of one state could provoke unfavorable reactions from the citizens of another member, the EU Council decides to accept or reject the request by a qualified majority,” the NBS explains.
They also emphasize that the mentioned decree refers to the countries that have fulfilled the conditions for joining the Eurozone, and that Croatia can do that in 2023 at the earliest, which, as stated in the NBS, is questionable at this moment.
Silver coin
In 2006, the Croatian National Bank issued a commemorative silver coin with Tesla’s image on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the famous scientist. 5,000 pieces with a nominal value of 150 kuna (20 euros) were issued.
On banknotes since 1970.
Tesla’s face was first found on SFRY 500 dinar banknotes in 1970. The banknote was later issued in 1978, 1981 and 1986. The image of Tesla on that banknote is the same as on the monument erected next to Niagara Falls. SFRY twice put the image of Tesla on banknotes, 1,000 dinars from 1990 and 1,000 dinars from 1991. Later, he found himself on several banknotes of FR Yugoslavia, 1,000 dinars in 1992, 5,000,000 dinars in 1993, 10,000,000,000 dinars in 1993, 5,000 dinars in 1993, 100 dinars in 1994, then 5 new dinars in 1994. Currently, a 100 dinar banknote is valid in Serbia, which has been issued since 2000.
A series of coins issued by the NBY on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of his birth (1996) was also dedicated to Nikola Tesla. At that time, coins of 20, 200, 300 and 1,000 new dinars were issued. 20 new dinars were minted in alloy, 200 and 300 new dinars are silver coins, 1,000 new dinars are gold coins.
They prefer Tudjman
In a month, more than 40,000 people voted in Croatia. It is interesting that far behind the famous Serb was the “father” of the modern Croatian state, Franjo Tudjman, who was long believed to be the main Croatian icon. In front of Tudjman were a Dalmatian butterfly and a Dalmatian dog.
An insult to Serbs
Miodrag Linta, president of the Association of Serbs in the region, says that it will be a great insult for Serbs if Tesla’s character is found on the coin, but that this is nothing new and is completely expected.
– In Croatia, the process of appropriating not only Nikola Tesla, but the entire cultural heritage and tradition of Serbs who have lived in that area for centuries, has been going on for many years. I think that it is important that our competent institutions always speak the facts and the truth publicly and clearly, and there is only one truth: Tesla is a scientist of Serbian origin, a Serb by birth. It is hypocritical for Croats to adopt him now, and the Ustashas brutally killed his relatives.
Let us also remind you of Croatia’s attitude towards Tesla. In 1992, a decision was made that the central town square in Gospić, five kilometers away from Tesla’s birth house in Smiljan, would no longer be named after a world-renowned scientist, but after Stjepan Radić. Only three days later, a monument dedicated to Nikola Tesla, which was located on the then renamed main city square, was blown up. Almost at the same time as the monument was demolished to the ground, and turned into a parking lot, the Orthodox Church of St. the great martyr George in Gospić, where Father Milutin Tesla, Nikola’s father, served as a priest.
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