Požega, (IKA) – The Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Požega sent an appeal on October 29 to the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Parliament. We present the text of this document in its entirety:
“We, priests of the Diocese of Požega, under the leadership of Bishop Antun Škvorčević, assembled at a meeting of the Presbyteral Council in Požega on October 29, 2012, after having thoroughly acquainted ourselves with the grave situation of Slavonian villages and discussed the problem of poverty in our diocese, express our profound solidarity with vulnerable families, especially those whose farms are being extinguished daily. Aware that the Church has neither the calling nor the possibility to resolve the social problems that have arisen, we have decided within the framework of our mission and in the spirit of the Year of Faith to increase our efforts concerning practical charity and strengthen the system of solidarity in our parishes with the families and individuals who are in the most difficult circumstances.

The socioeconomic situation in villages and the conditions of family farms require urgent, active and concrete measures in order to assure the continuity of the lives of families engaged in food production. This must currently be done for milk producers, for whom the political and other social actors should demonstrate understanding and support in all forms and at all levels. The situation in which we find ourselves requires great sensitivity from everyone and sincere readiness for a broad agreement regarding a long-term economic model that ensures the food independence of our Croatian homeland.
Given Croatia’s imminent accession to the European Union and the difficult situation in our villages, as citizens of this state, we urge the Croatian Parliament, Government and relevant ministries to use all the honorable means at their disposal as elected government representatives in order to support the correction of the current attitude toward agriculture and prevent the potentially catastrophic consequences of the failure of a policy that allows and sometimes even creates unacceptable market conditions and structures.