GRANIC: GOVT WILL RESPECT AGREEMENTS WITH HOLY SEE

ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Government Commission for Relations with Religious Communities, Goran Granic, on Monday presented the work of the commission. The commission will not be engaged in ideological work, but rather enable all religious communities to operate so that Croatian citizens could satisfy their spiritual needs, he said. Granic recalled that the commission had held its first meeting and that it was interested in opening dialogue between religious communities, which would result in greater tolerance and strengthening of democracy regardless of religion. Asked about the adoption of a new law on religious communities, Granic said the commission had started working on it. Speaking about the implementation of agreements between Croatia and the Holy See, Granic said the Government respected commitments from those agreements. As regards the return of property to the Serb Orthodox Church, Granic said that issue would be resolved, as would the problems of other religious communities. Asked about the status of catechism in schools, Granic said he did not want the issue to be politicised. It is certain that part of the education system will be changed and that means that students will be taught about all religions, Granic said. (hina) rml