In societies which did not have historical interruptions, the sense of justice is continually incorporated into institutions, but the history of Croatia and its neighbours is not one of such a stable order or value system, Josipovic told representatives of the diplomatic corps at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences .
Today, the politically left-wing Croatia has a legacy of anti-fascism and the idea of social justice but the burden of political repression too. On the opposite end, the right-wing Croatia which is often, sometimes rightfully, sometimes not, linked to the Catholic Church, has a legacy of anti-totalitarianism and an inclination towards a democratic society and an open market, but it carries the burden of a pact with Nazism, nationalism, accusations of economic predation and social insensitivity, said Josipovic.
Croatian society, if it wants to be just, must help those who, through no fault of their own, became victims of war or transition from one to another economic system, and one must not ignore those who came to a socially inferior position through the direct or indirect fault of politics, such as the people who lost their jobs and social security because of immoral, and sometimes illegal, ownership transformation and privatisation, said Josipovic.
Croatia abolished the statute of limitations on crimes which most insult the law as well as morality, war crimes, serious economic crimes and war profiteering, and one should not forget nor forgive the politically motivated crimes whose roots were either leftist or rightist, he told the diplomatic corps led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, who was the Holy See state secretary from 1990, when Croatia was gaining independence, to 2006, under two popes who visited Croatia.
It is imperative to have more feeling for others and rely on justice and justness, Josipovic said, adding that he based his 2009 presidential campaign on "new justness."
Justness depends on whether we, as individuals and a society, have a developed sense of justice, of doing also what we are not required to by law but which we believe is moral, of not looking the other way when we see injustice because some decisions made by the majority can harm individuals and smaller groups, said Croatia's president.
Earlier today, he held his first meeting with Pope Francis, expressing a wish that he visit Croatia.