Croatia, Holy See reaffirm close ties in high-level Vatican meeting

The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Gordan Grlić Radman, met with the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

The minister also participated in a general audience, at the end of which he met with the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, CE Report informs via the Croatia's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs' official website.

Minister Grlić Radman and Archbishop Gallagher confirmed the traditionally close and substantive relations between the Republic of Croatia and the Holy See, which are further reinforced by the continuity of high-level meetings during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.

In this context, the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations will be marked next year. Satisfaction was expressed with the regular dialogue between the Catholic Church and the state on issues of common interest. An example of good cooperation is the reconstruction of numerous religious buildings damaged in the earthquakes in the Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina counties.

Minister Grlić Radman welcomed Pope Leo XIV’s strong commitment to the unity of Christian churches, the promotion of interreligious dialogue as a means of achieving peace, as well as the important contribution of the encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” to discussions on preserving human dignity in the context of the development of artificial intelligence.

In the context of growing global challenges, the interlocutors agreed on the importance of maintaining a constant focus on preserving stability and security in the Western Balkans.

Croatia values the Holy See’s support for the European perspective of the region’s countries, while emphasizing the importance of implementing reforms that contribute to building mutual trust, good neighborly relations, and regional stability.

Particular importance was given to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path, with both sides agreeing on the need for internal political dialogue and ensuring the equality of all constituent peoples in order to preserve the country’s stability.

Views were also exchanged on the situation in Ukraine and developments in the Middle East.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia