Zagreb, (IKA) – On April 20 at the headquarters of the Croatian Conference of Bishops in Zagreb, a meeting was held between the Episcopal Commission of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for Relations with the Government (Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanić of Zagreb, President of the Commission; Archbishop Ivan Devčić of Rijeka, Archbishop Želimir Puljić of Zadar, Bishop. Ante Ivas of Šibenik, Bishop Vjekoslav Huzjak of Bjelovar-Križevci, Bishop Mate Uzinić of Dubrovnik, Auxiliary Bishop Ivan Šaško of Zagreb and the General Secretary of the CCB and Secretary of the Commission, Msgr. Enco Rodinis) and the Government Commission for Relations with the Religious Communities of the Republic of Croatia (Minister of Justice, Orsat Miljenić, President of the Commission; Minister of Labor and the Pension System, Mirando Mrsić; Minister of Health, Rajko Ostojić; Minister of Science, Education and Sports, Željko Jovanović; Head of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Tomislav Saucha; and Secretary of the Commission, Franjo Dubrović). In addition to those present, the members of the Government Commission also include Minister of Culture, Andrea Zlatar Violić; Minister of Public Administration, Arsen Bauk; and Minister of Finance, Slavko Linić.
The main issues discussed at the meeting were the status of the implementation of the Contracts between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia and the definition of the methods and topics of the work of the Mixed Commission for the Continued Implementation of the Contracts.
During an open discussion in an atmosphere of cooperation, based upon the individual Contracts the members of the Commissions spoke about current items regarding the legal framework of their mutual relationships, the thematic programs of education and culture, economic issues and the position of the Military Ordinariate in the Republic of Croatia. In each area, there was emphasis on the dimensions of cooperation, shared concerns and the necessity for ongoing dialogue. Regarding legal issues, attention was devoted to the harmonization of the legal systems of the Church and Government, i.e., recognition of the status of the legal persons of the Catholic Church. Regarding the area of culture, there was discussion of the issue of school institutions such as the activities of Catholic schools and the presence of religious education and its implementation in public schools. Furthermore, the need was noted for greater coordination regarding the preservation and restoration of cultural goods, cooperation in the implementation of joint projects and the spending of EU funds earmarked for them. It was clearly pointed out that the Church has always been and remains open to monitoring by relevant Government bodies regarding the transparency of the spending of earmarked funds from the budget. The Church also seeks this for the disclosure of the truth about funding and use of money from the Government budget. Aware of the inherited and current difficulties regarding the return of or compensation for confiscated property, positions and sincere desires were expressed for the continuation of negotiations.
For each of the aforementioned issues and others regarding the four Contracts, the Commissions decided to establish working bodies that would guarantee a professional approach and promote effective cooperation.
At the meeting, clarifications of positions were presented by the two sides on current issues such as the proposed Medically Assisted Fertilization Act, the place of religious instruction in the schools, and the importance of commemorating the war and postwar victims in recent Croatian history.
Both sides have agreed to be moderate in mutual discourse and public appearances, while respecting differences of opinion.
The Commissions found this first meeting to be exceptionally useful, expressing the hope that future discussions at this and other levels would have the same openness in seeking the common good, according to a statement issued by the Press Office of the Croatian Conference of Bishops.