Zagreb, 6. 11. 1996. (IKA) – Zagreb-Ljubljana and entire Italy metropolitan Jovan Pavlović, escorted by Šumadija episkopos Sava Vuković, visited Zagreb.
For the first time he met the President of Republic Croatia dr. Franjo Tuđman and talked with Zagreb Archbishop Franjo Cardinal Kuharić on Tuesday, 5th November. President Tuđman received the delegation of Saint Synod of Serbian Orthodox Church, escorted by Zagreb Serbian Orthodox parish priest proto-presbyter Milenko Popović, at the President#!s residence. On this occasion President Tuđman expressed his regret that this meeting has not happened earlier, in spite Croatian authorities always emphasized the importance of this meeting, since democracy has been established in Croatia. He also said that it is important to leave the past behind, and to turn to the future so that good relations between neighbors and new international relationship in Europe could be established. President emphasized the importance of the peaceful reintegration of Croatian Danube territories as soon as possible, and the importance of the establishment of the relations between Serbian Orthodox Church and state authorities of Republic Croatia. Serbian Orthodox Church delegation promised to help in peaceful reintegration of Croatian Danube teiritories, because “there is no doubt that Croatian Danube territories are part of Croatian state “. They also talked about the return of Serbian Orthodox priests and Serbian refugees in Republic Croatia, and about the return of Serbian Orthodox properties confiscated during the rule of communists, which will be treated the same way as the property of other confessional communities.
Zagreb Archbishop Franjo Cardinal Kuharić received Serbian Orthodox Church delegation at Archbishop#!s residence. Bishops Marin Srakić and Marko Culej secretary of Croatian Bishops Conference Council for ecumenism and dialogue dr. Antun Škvorčević were also present.
After the meeting, Cardinal Kuharić gave an interview for IKA (Croatian Catholic Press Agency). He emphasized that they discussed what “Churches could do to cure the consequences of the war and violence and what has to be done that people could understand that it is not possible to live in conflict, but the only way is to live in peace, based on justice, freedom, respecting the human rights”. As Cardinal Kuharić has informed us, they agreed about the return of Serbian Orthodox priests to Republic Croatia and Catholic bishops and priests can freely work in Srijem . “Church has to encourage the opinion that believers can not be without priests, without moral support, without spiritual comfort”, said Cardinal Kuharić. They also discussed “how to precipitate the normalization of the situation, so that Serbian Orthodox Church could live normally in Croatia and has its pastoral activities in the situation as it is”.
Cardinal emphasized: “The principles we are emphasizing are clear: human dignity, freedom of men, human rights and rights of national communities.
Living together could be based only on justice and freedom… Serbian Orthodox Church, as Catholic Church, will try to help people in realization of one better life at these territories in the future “.
Cardinal Kuharić, and metropolitan Jovan Pavlović, estimated this meeting as positive and sincere.