ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Wednesday night visited the main offices of the Serb Orthodox Church (SPC) in Croatia where he spoke with SPC officials, Mesic's office reported.
ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on
Wednesday night visited the main offices of the Serb Orthodox
Church (SPC) in Croatia where he spoke with SPC officials, Mesic's
office reported. #L#
Mesic spoke with the head of the Serb Orthodox Church in Croatia,
Slovenia and Italy, Jovan Pavlovic, and other dignitaries.
The SPC leadership voiced their stances on relations between the
SPC and the state and stressed positive achievements and their wish
for the good cooperation with representatives of Croatian
authorities to continue.
The meeting focused especially on quicker restitution of property
of the Serb Orthodox Church and the reconstruction of church
facilities.
Metropolitan Jovan expressed satisfaction that the SPC and the
Croatian government would soon sign an agreement on regulating the
remaining open issues of the work of the SPC, the statement said.
The two sides mentioned the cultural cooperation between Croatia
and Yugoslavia and the role of the Serb Orthodox Church in the
preservation of the cultural, national and religious identity of
Serbs in Croatia.
During talks about a new constitutional law on the rights of
national minorities, the two sides said that it was important to
stress the principles of equality and mutual respect, as well as to
express understanding for some particularities of the minorities.
Protection of minorities in line with international standards can
only be an asset to our state and its opting for democracy, the
President's Office said.
(hina) lml