Croatian journalist and long-standing Rome and Vatican correspondent, Silvije Tomasevic, died on Sunday in Rome, aged 71, from a severe illness, the Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) reported.

Tomasevic, born in Zagreb in 1949, began his journalistic career in 1970 in the Vecernji List daily. In 1984 he started working as a Rome and Vatican correspondent for various outlets in Croatia, including the Croatian public broadcaster and the state news agency Hina, as well as the BBC and Deutsche Welle.

Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, expressed his condolences on Sunday, saying Tomasevic’s death meant “an irreparable loss for Croatian journalism.”

“In his rich career, his specific style, inspired, intelligent, and witty comments made him stand out from the rest. We all enjoyed his reporting from Vatican and Rome, where he had spent years following the work of the Holy See. Tomasevic was known for his insight and education,” Plenkovic said. “As one of Croatia’s greatest journalists and publicist, he has left an indelible mark on the Croatian media scene. He will be missed by all who followed his work.”