BOZANIC: CROATIA NEEDS NEW VISIONS, NEW PROGRAMMES AND UNITY

ZAGREB, May 29 (Hina) - On the occasion of the Statehood Day, Archbishop of Zagreb, Msgr. Josip Bozanic said a Mass in the St Mark's Church in the downtown Zagreb on Saturday. Present at the service for the homeland were Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman and many top officials. During his sermon Archbishop Bozanic recalled his message for this year's Lent. A State is not its own goal, but it should be at the service to people and citizens as well as a powerful instrument for facilitating peace in our restive areas. A State should serve in the protection of freedom, the development of social virtues and overall prosperity, Bozanic told the gathered. He conveyed the concern of the Roman Catholic Church in Croatia over the increasingly difficult economic circumstances in which most people are living. "Many cannot reach a regular standard of living. The youth, particularly those who finished school or university education, cannot find a job," he stressed. The Archbishop of Zagreb warned that the public morals were in a deep crisis. Instances of those who go to work but do not get earned salaries as well as of those who claim that nothing can be achieved without bribe, should prompt all, particularly responsible persons, to make a through analysis of the social relations as well as to examine the conscience in the field of ownership, the acquisition of property during the privatisation and relations and responsibilities toward work and the work efficiency and generally our endeavours in the social ethics," Bozanic said. He pointed to the great danger of despondency due to reports on embezzlement, economic scandals, covering of failures and larceny at the cost of everybody. "But it is faceless, as if there were no responsibility for committed acts," Bozanic said wondering whether certain laws are to be blamed for such economic and social situation or, perhaps, it is due to a failure to do necessary supervision. The Catholic dignitary believes that Croatia needs new visions and new programmes. What we need is the courage and resoluteness of the responsible persons as well as the consistence in the enforcement of law in all cases, but above all harmony and joint endeavours, he added. After the service, a short meeting was held between the Church's dignitaries and state officials in the sacristy. (hina) ms