Today, at the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Zaza Vashakmadze, met with the Ambassador of the Holy See (Vatican) to Georgia and Armenia, Archbishop Ante Jozic. It was an introductory meeting.

The main topics of the meeting were the religious policy of the State of Georgia, the current and implemented projects of the Agency. Zaza Vashakmadze told the guest about the activities of the Interreligious Council, introduced the mechanism of compensation for material and moral damage caused to religions during the Soviet period and the process of returning cult buildings. The chairman of the Agency particularly noted the facts of violations of the rights of the Georgian population, including the religious rights, in the occupied territories, and stated that in this regard, the support of the Vatican is of principle importance for Georgia.

The Vatican Ambassador thanked the chairman of the Agency for the interesting and multifaceted conversation, for the assistance provided to the Catholic Church. "We have more in common than differences. Everything can be agreed upon and settled, it just takes desire and time. I believe that the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church will reach this condition," the Vatican Ambassador said. According to him, Georgia is an ancient country with distinctive values, and it is welcome that the country is so careful about traditions, including protection of family values, in which the State supports the church.

At the end of the meeting, Zaza Vashakmadze handed over to the guest the publications of the Agency - "Functioning Cult Buildings in Georgia as of 2023", " Functioning Cult Buildings in Tbilisi as of 2020", "Occupied Heritage" and the printed materials of the Interreligious Conferences. The Ambassador got acquainted with the albums with great interest, expressed his desire to actively cooperate with the Agency and invited Zaza Vashakmadze to the embassy for a working meeting.

Archbishop Ante Jozic was born in 1967 in Croatia. He served in the nunciatures of India, Russia, China, Belarus.