Patriarch Irinej, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) leader, called on Croatian state and church leadership as well as the Serb political and religious officials to do everything in their power to reconcile the two peoples.

He expressed the belief that the “euphoria of intoxication with evil” is over and that the time has come for talks on reconciliation, given the open issues, unsolved problems and numerous ordeals. 

“Let everyone deal with their own business, let them celebrate if they think there is something to celebrate, but I ask and call on Croatian state and church leadership as well as the political and religious leaders of our people to do everything in their power to root out the hatred and reconcile the two peoples,” the Patriarch told the Politika daily.

There is an impression, according to Irinej, that the authorities of Croatia are showing the signs that such policy is possible and that, if this is the case, the Serb leaders as “representatives of the people that was a victim of genocide” should accept every opportunity that might contribute to a more peaceful sleep and better life of the Serbs in Croatia.