Zagreb, (IKA) – On January 18, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the archbishop of Zagreb, received Milan Bandić, the mayor of Zagreb, according to a statement from the Public Relations Office of the Zagreb Archdiocese. During their two-hour meeting, the archbishop and mayor discussed several important matters in connection with cooperation between the municipal authorities and the archdiocese, as well as the position of church institutions and the return of church property.
The biggest news regarding their common concern for the welfare of young families and families with many children is a joint project for building subsidized apartments, in which the archbishop will secure the land and the mayor will build the apartments. In this manner, the city of Zagreb will create the first model for such collaboration with the Church on subsidized construction projects Croatia. A detailed plan and regulations on the use of these apartments will be prepared, and the public will be informed about the entire project in detail.
The cardinal also showed great interest in the construction of parochial kindergartens and schools in the city of Zagreb, especially on the outskirts, where the greatest demographic population growth has been recorded.
The mayor acquainted the cardinal with the social measures that the city is undertaking in regards to demographic policy, i.e. newborns, families with many children, the unemployed, retirees and other vulnerable groups of the society, which the cardinal saluted.
In this connection, there was also discussion of the position of the parochial kindergartens in the city of Zagreb, since new budgetary measures went into effect as of January 1 of this year for co-financing tuition.
Regarding the problem of the young and drugs, it was proposed that the Zagreb schools should organize visits to communities where addicts are treated so that children could become directly acquainted with the consequences of addiction.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Bandić invited the cardinal to visit the city government. A possible visit in May of this year was agreed upon in principle.
Cardinal Bozanić presented a medallion to the mayor with portraits of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac and the Blessed Augustin Kažotić, which was struck in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Cardinal Bozanić’s installation as the archbishop of Zagreb, according to the statement issued by the Public Relations Office of the Zagreb Archdiocese.