Zagreb, (IKA) – On February 12, the President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and the President of the Republic of Serbia, AleksandarVučić, who was on an official visit to the Republic of Croatia at the invitation of the President of Croatia, met with the Catholic Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, and the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana, Bishop Porfirije.
During a forty-minute open conversation with Cardinal Bozanić, issues were discussed that concern the relationship between the members of the Catholic Church the Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia and Serbia. Support was expressed for resolving open issues between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Serbia, which would further strengthen good neighborly relations and promote a stable peace between the two countries, according to the Press Office of the Archdiocese of Zagreb.

The two presidents visited students at the Political Academy of the Serbian National Council and attended the presentation of a project entitled the Future of Serbs in Croatia at the residence of the Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana. There, in the company of students from the Orthodox secondary school, they met with the Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana, Bishop Porfirije. Metropolitan Porifirje expressed gratitude to Croatian President Grabar-Kitarovićand Serbian President Vučić for the organization of the official visit by the Serbian leader, observing that this was a courageous step and call to peace.

“In view of all the events today, I must say that I am first of all pleased by your demeanors and the words that both of you have addressed to the Croatian public, which are words of responsibility and concern for normal relations between Serbs and Croats, here and everywhere,” said Metropolitan Porfirije.

“Serbs and Croats have always had a relationship, although unfortunately the times have been such that we have grown apart. Therefore, it is a step forward, on the one hand, that you have invited Mr. Vučićand, on the other hand, that you have taken the truly brave and responsible step of coming here, first of all as a call for understanding, a call for peace,” said the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop to President Grabar-Kitarović and President Vučić, as reported by the Office of the President of Croatia.