Zagreb (IKA) – The president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, visited Vecernji list at the invitation of the editor-in-chief, Ružica Cigler, on the occasion of World Communications Day that the Catholic Church commemorated on Sunday, May 23. This was also the cardinal’s first visit to a Croatian secular newspaper. On this occasion, Cardinal Bozanic had a brief conversation with journalists, which was published by Vecernji list on May 28. The chairman of the board, Klaus Schauer, in his greeting emphasized the importance of the cardinal’s visit for Vecernjij list, Styria as the owner, the employees and readers. Cardinal Bozanic expressed his gratitude for the invitation and said that Vecernji list has a particular significance for Zagreb and all of Croatia. Pointing out there has recently been a commemoration of World Communications by the Church, the cardinal expressed his satisfaction that the visit took place immediately after the Central European gathering in Mariazell, in the vicinity of which Styria has its roots. Schauer then pointed out that Vecernji list has assumed the task of supporting Croatian aspirations on the path to the European Union, precisely due to the common roots “that were remembered in Mariazell.”
When asked about recent talks with Romano Prodi, the cardinal responded that he had recently spoken extensively with the president of the European Commission in Stuttgart, at a meeting of European Christian movements. Prodi told him that he sees that Croatia is going forward on the path to the European Union and concluded that since Slovenia has entered, Croatia is next in line and other countries will follow. When asked what he expected in June from Bruxelles, the cardinal responded that he does not want to be a prophet but expects that there will be certain progress and expressed the hope that it would not be halfway. When asked how Croatia is received by the European Churches, the cardinal said that in principle all support Croatia and that progress can be felt, but again it depends from country to country, and most of all on familiarity with our situation. The media have a great influence upon people, regardless of whether they are from the Church or not.
When asked about the relationship between the Church and the executive authorities, the cardinal responded that the Church is always ready for dialogue, regardless of which party is in power. The Church has never and never will directly influence the executive authority but it is always ready to explain its positions. Regarding the relations between the Church and the media, with particular emphasis on Vecernji list, the cardinal said that this is not so much a question of the relations between the Church and media as it is a question of how to present the events in society as objectively as possible. It is always possible to expose something or make a caricature of something. The main question is correctness or lack of correctness. It is in this way that the credibility of the media is demonstrated. Certainly, there is also the question of the credibility of the Church, which must be consistent in practice and in its teachings. A problem arises when things are distorted, concluded Cardinal Bozanic in his meeting with the journalists of Vecernji list.