A rather unusual statement for a health minister.
Croatian Health Minister Milan Kujundžić participated in the roundtable “Religion and Politics in Upbringing, Education and Health”, held at the Dominican monastery and Augustin Kažotić parish in Zagreb. During his speech, he said that “sometimes having one priest in the hospital means more than having 20 physicians, because priest's smile, comforting word, encouragement mean a lot for both the patient and family”, reports Jutarnji List on March 24, 2017.
In addition to Kujunždić, the roundtable also included the dean of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb Dubravka Hrabar and Anto Gavrić from the Dominican monastery.
According to the monastery’s website, Kujundžić pointed out that those who attacked Christian values were doing it for political purposes and were not interested in real matters. “Croatian nation survived thanks to the Catholic Church. If the Catholic Church were not here, the Croatian people would no longer exist”, said the minister. He also commented on the issue of abortion, stressing that life begins at conception and that on this point there is no doubt.
Kujundžić believes that religion and politics are compatible and that Croats should not give up on Christian values, “no matter all the changes and adjustments”. “If we do not have Christian values rooted in ourselves, then we will go astray more easily. Whenever politics moved away from the people and the universal Christian values, it did not turn out good. If these values are lived in reality, and not only in words, Croatia will be a country which will appreciate knowledge, work, honesty”, he said.
Speaking from personal experience about priests working in hospitals, he said that sometimes having one priest in the hospital means more than having 20 physicians, because priest's smile, comforting word, encouragement, mean a lot for both the patient and family. As director of a hospital in Zagreb, he supported opening of a hospital chapel. “For those who do not believe, having a chapel in the hospital does not hurt, but to us who do believe, it means a lot.”
He also commented on the issue of anti-abortion vigils taking place in front of hospitals performing abortions. He said that people can pray anywhere, but added that it was better to pray in an appropriate area in agreement with hospital directors, and not in alleys.
Turning to more secular (and some would say more appropriate) issues, he confirmed that Croatian healthcare system was in debt by eight billion kuna.
