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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Ministry’s goal spiritual stability in society, respect of religious rights

Belgrade, 30 October 2008

Serbian Minister of Religion Bogoljub Sijakovic stated that the Ministry is striving to create a new ambience between churches, religious communities and the state, with the aim of achieving spiritual stability within society and ensuring respect for individual and collective religious rights.

Bogoljub Sijakovic at today's press conference

Author: Fonet

At a press conference marking the Ministry’s first 100 days in office, Sijakovic said that the main goal is harmony with the European idea, where all religious communities and churches have a special role in society, which no other social entity could play.

He stressed that, in that sense the Ministry is encouraging religious culture, freedom and tolerance and calls upon all citizens to exercise those rights as best they can, which implies assistance to churches and religious communities, their publishing activities and educational and missionary work.

According to him, the Ministry of Religion provides assistance to the Serbian Orthodox Church Museum and the publishing activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Jewish community, the Catholic Church and the Muslim community.

When it comes to preserving national cultural and religious identity the Ministry financially supports monuments, the clergy and believers in Kosovo-Metohija, because the southern province is our greatest concern, said the Minister.

Sijakovic recalled that the state also endorses religious schools, which had not been the case before, and noted that the Ministry will assist all religious schools in accordance with religious rights.

Speaking about religious education in public schools, he said that the Ministry’s goal is to synchronise the educational system with Serbia’s laws, as well as with European standards.

According to him, the Ministry of Religion had assisted in the reconstruction and construction of religious facilities, churches and mosques, making up for several decades of neglect on its part.

Sijakovic also stressed that all these activities are in accordance with the Law on religious communities, adopted in April 2006.

Having adopted a modern and a democratic law the government had shown that it considers churches and religious communities as important factors in society and the consistent implementation of both this law and the law on the restitution of property to churches and religious communities will also contribute to democratisation and the overall development of society, said the Minister.

He added that the Ministry cooperates with eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church abroad and respects their role in the preservation of the Serbian people and its culture.