"This is uncommon. Talks can be held with everyone, including church representatives, but I would suggest that the Church deal with its own problems," Mesic said at an event marking the 21st anniversary of Zagreb's Radio 101 station.
Croatian bishops invited PM Sanader and Culture Minister Bozo Biskupic to their meeting, which was dedicated, among other things, to Croatia and Europe, with emphasis on the role of the Catholic Church in European integration processes. The purpose of the invitation was for the government officials to inform the bishops in detail about the situation regarding Croatia's EU entry talks. The HBK also stated that bishops were agreed that Croatia should become a member of the EU.
Politics should not be the primary task of the Church, Mesic said. "I never interfere in church matters although I am a believer," he said, adding that he was confident his statement would provoke a lot of criticism.
Asked to comment on claims by Vjesnik daily reporter Zeljko Peratovic, who has announced a lawsuit against the state, that Mesic had previously supported reporters for election purposes, Mesic said it was not his duty to protect every individual before state institutions.
In a statement to Radio 101 on Friday, Peratovic said that electoral promotion was the reason why Mesic had supported reporters accused by former Counter-Intelligence Agency (POA) chief Franjo Turek of conspiracy against Croatia.
"I advocate the functioning of state institutions and it would be inappropriate for me to defend every individual before those institutions," Mesic said, calling on citizens to go to the polls on Sunday in large numbers.