ZAGREB, May 14 (Hina) - Commenting on President Stjepan Mesic'sstatement that it was unusual for Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to haveaddressed Friday's session of the Croatian Bishops' Conference (HBK)and informed bishops about the
situation regarding Croatia's EU entrytalks, and his statement that the Church should turn to its ownproblems, the head of the HBK press office, Anton Suljic, said thatthe President was insufficiently acquainted with the nature of theChurch's mission.
ZAGREB, May 14 (Hina) - Commenting on President Stjepan Mesic's
statement that it was unusual for Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to have addressed
Friday's session of the Croatian Bishops' Conference (HBK) and informed bishops
about the situation regarding Croatia's EU entry talks, and his statement that
the Church should turn to its own problems, the head of the HBK press office,
Anton Suljic, said that the President was insufficiently acquainted with the
nature of the Church's mission. "Croatian President Stjepan Mesic is
obviously not familiar enough with the nature of the Church's mission and he
is partly under the influence of his previous indoctrinated beliefs, which is
why he is making rash and tactless statements about a matter in which he lacks
competence," Suljic told Hina on the
phone.
This is detrimental not only to the institution of the president, but
to the good relations between the Church and state authorities, Suljic
added.
Describing as unusual PM Ivo Sanader's address at the HBK conference,
to which he was invited by the HBK, Mesic told reporters today that talks could
be held with everyone, including church representatives, but that the Church
should deal with its own problems.