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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Ministry of Religion welcomes request by the Bishops' Conference in Europe to release Bishop Jovan

Belgrade, 23 August 2005

The Serbian Ministry of Religion welcomed today the request, made by the Catholic Bishops' Conferences in Europe, that Bishop Jovan of Ohrid be released from the Skopje prison where he is being held.

The Ministry’s statement says that with this request, the Catholic bishops have shown that all churches and religious communities in today’s Europe are determined to jointly protect the religious rights of each religion and individual, and that man’s natural right to confess their faith can no longer be restricted by any ideological prejudices on the part of state authorities.

Pleas for the release of Bishop Jovan represent a concrete and constructive defence of the values on which a united Europe is being built. Simultaneously, it is a testimony to a modern Europe that is establishing its evaluation system on Christian ethics, solidarity and love for the fellow human being.

On behalf of all churches and religious communities in Serbia, the Ministry of Religion would like to give thanks to the Catholic Bishops' Conferences in Europe for their efficient advocacy of principles of Christian morality. The Ministry expressed hope that the judicial authorities in Skopje will find strength to accept the appeal of the democratic and Christian public in Europe and immediately set Bishop Jovan free, the statement concludes.