ZAGREB ARCHBISHOP FORWARDS EASTER MESSAGE

ZAGREB, April 11 (Hina) - In his Easter message, Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic calls on all social groups in Croatia to engage in an open dialogue with the aim of reaching an agreement on the basic values and development of the Croatian society. Dialogue is the first step toward the true renewal, without which it is impossible to build a healthy, free, democratic and plural society, Bozanic says. Every Croatian citizen rightfully expects those who have been entrusted with governing Croatia to do all in their power to secure decent living conditions, the protection of the Croatian identity and the promotion of cultural achievements as well as a balanced development of all parts of Croatia. Their "equally rightful expectation is that no action will be taken at all costs and that our resources will not be sold cheap for whatever reason," the message reads. Only the truth can give answers to the fundamental questions of the present time. "It seems that many prefer words in answering those questions to how they live their lives, and that is why they say half-truths," he says. "Exclusiveness and lack of trust, which prevents individuals, and even groups, to voice their opinion and act efficiently, and the protection of others from any questioning of their performance, lead us away from the truth," Bozanic says urging that "honesty and justness order us to acknowledge our incompleteness and respect what is valuable in others." Emphasising the importance of life and the right to life, marriage and family as the basic values, Bozanic says these values should be openly promoted in the social life and the media. "For our lives to be truly new, for Easter to be alive in us, it is necessary to, as of today, start caring more about one another on the personal, social and church level," the Archbishop said. (hina) rml