After Fr. Jozo’s arrest, Bishop Zanic writes a letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia speaking strongly in support of the children and to protest the calumnies being made against the Church, and in particular, Fr. Jozo. In part, Bishop Zanic stated:
“I consider it my duty and my right to protest forcefully against such calumnies totally devoid of any foundations. As a Catholic Bishop and the Ordinary responsible for the Diocese of Mostar, for my own part and for that of the priests who have been implicated, I am saddened by these irresponsible calumnies and these attacks whose bad taste will in no way help to assess serenely the events which have taken place in the parish of Medjugorje. By such proceedings the fundamental rights of a man and a citizen are violated. I ask you to accept my protest, which I address to the person who holds the highest responsibility in Yugoslavia and I ask you to react firmly against such attacks.â€
