ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - Croatia's print media give extensive coverage to the last day of the pope's third, five-day trip to Croatia in their Tuesday issues, with pieces on his visit to Zadar and the magnificent farewell
dominating.
ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - Croatia's print media give extensive
coverage to the last day of the pope's third, five-day trip to
Croatia in their Tuesday issues, with pieces on his visit to Zadar
and the magnificent farewell dominating. #L#
Conveying the enthusiasm of church and state leaders, Vecernji list
quotes President Stjepan Mesic as saying the "charge in Zadar will
never be felt again".
"These past few days have been a holiday. I hope the people will know
how to reap the seeds of the messages the pope has sown," Vecernji
quotes Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic as saying.
The chief of the Vatican's protocol, Msgr. Renato Boccardo, told
Vecernji the pope's trip to Croatia had been a success. He singled
out the messages of reconciliation and said John Paul II was feeling
good and was very fond of Croatians.
According to Slobodna Dalmacija, Croatia's state leadership
believes "the Holy Father wishes to help on the road to the European
Union". The Split-based daily summarises the mood among foreign
journalists and their satisfaction with how the press-centre was
organised in a headline reading "Magnificent Zadar, We Will
Remember You Forever".
Commenting on the foreign media coverage of the pope's visit,
Vjesnik says: "Even though most world media singled out the truly
key points -- support on the road to the EU, encouragement to
the revival of the Christian family, call for ethnic
reconciliation, ecumenism and mutual cooperation, emancipation
and a stronger influence of Christian values in society -- it is
evident that some foreign columnists accentuated Croatia's being a
'Catholic bastion' in Europe, the rift within the clergy into the
pro-European and the nationalist wing, and the need for
reconciliation and the respect of European standards, among which
cooperation with The Hague takes first place".
Vecernji list brings a public opinion poll according to which 75.8
percent of the population is confident inter-religious relations
will improve. A high percentage believes understanding among
people will also get better, as will the treatment of women and
progress in family relations.
Novi list quotes several prominent figures' comments on the pope's
messages in a piece headlined "Conservative towards Women,
Benevolent towards Croatia".
(hina) ha sb