PM and patriarch discuss church-sate relations, RS

PM and patriarch discuss church-sate relations, RS

The patriarch said after the meeting he was satisfied the relationship of the Church and the state, describing them as "a kind of symphony," and adding it was "necessary to nurture such a relationship."

Vucic said the state was specially grateful to the SPC "because where it is present, and the Serbian state is not, our nation has survived thanks to its presence."

"Few (Serbs) would have survive in Lika, Kordun, in other parts of Croatia had it not been for the Church. Similarly, in Kosovo and Metohija, people have stayed wherever we have churches and monasteries. In other parts we are hardly surviving. The situation is similar in the diaspora, wherever we have the SPC, it unites our people," said Vucic.

He pledged state assistance in order to complete St. Sava's Temple in Belgrade, announcing all works should be finished in 2019 - to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the creation of the first Serbian archbishopric, and pointed out that it will be "a magnificent and the most beautiful" temple in the world.

According to Vucic, the SPC "should not worry, the state will help - because it is not only a religious but also a cultural monument that will attract many people to visit Belgrade and Serbia."

The Serb entity in Bosnia, the Serb Republic (RS), was also discussed today. The prime minister said that Serbia "cannot permit any endangering of the existence and survival of the RS" and that it will respect the Dayton Agreement, the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but also of the RS.

He mentioned "the difficult anniversaries ahead of us," especially that of the creation of Jasenovac - a WW2 death camp operated by the Independent State of Croatia (NDH).

"We have completely embraced the idea, the plea and the demand of the patriarch to jointly solve all the problems, for members of our people not to be divided on any grounds and in any way, because only together we can solve our biggest and most pressing problems," said he.

The patriarch said that the Church recognizes the principle of separation from the state, but also has an important role to play in the nation.

The patriarch said that he and Vucic spoke about relations between Serbia and the RS and noted they were good, while the Church will strive to preserve the achievements of the Serbian nation, its identity and culture.

"To preserve ourselves as a people that belongs to a united Serbian people. That is being worked on, and will be worked on," he said.

They also discussed other issues, the completion of St. Sava's Temple and a new building for the SPC library, he said.