After the meeting with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States, who is on an official visit to Serbia, Selakovic expressed satisfaction with the intensification of stable and constructive bilateral relations between Serbia and the Holy See.
He added that Serbia and the Holy See are characterised by similar positions in a significant number of issues of international importance, such as the protection of Christian heritage and the promotion of Christian human rights, the issue of refugees and migrants, but also the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Minister expressed gratitude to Gallagher for the support that the Holy See provides to Serbia in the process of European integration and for its principled support on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, as well as for a serious approach in understanding the complex regional circumstances which the Western Balkans are facing, but the wider region too.
The meeting also looked at the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina with the mediation of the EU, the problems we are facing in that process, as well as the endangerment of the Serbian religious, cultural and historical heritage in Kosovo and Metohija.
Selakovic informed his interlocutor about the data that from 1999 until today, more than 150 Christian Orthodox churches and monasteries have been destroyed, devastated and desecrated in Kosovo and Metohija, and 256 Serbian cemeteries have been desecrated, of which 50 have been completely destroyed.
Archbishop Gallagher said that the relations between Serbia and the Holy See are good, and that today's visit is an opportunity for the two sides to express their intention to further develop relations in the areas of mutual interest. He thanked for the respect our country has for the Holy See and the Catholic Church in Serbia.
He recalled that the good relations between Serbia and the Holy See were confirmed by the signing of an agreement on cooperation in the field of education in 2014.