Pregovori Svete stolice i Jugoslavije i potpisivanje protokola iz 1966. godine
Negotiations between the Vatican and Yugoslavia and the signing of the 1966 protocol

Summary/Abstract: Following the cessation of diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1952, the Yugoslav government changed its tactics against the Catholic Church. It gave up any further repressive policies but carried on with its efforts to break the unity of the Catholic Church and weaken its role in society. After the death of Cardinal Stepinac, the Yugoslav regime assessed the situation and decided it was time for more intensive activity towards the normalisation of churchstate relations, wanting to create an illusion among the public that this had not been possible before due to the fact that all attempts had been obstructed by Cardinal Stepinac (...) . By 1964, an assortment of methods and intermediaries had been used to rehabilitate the contacts between the Vatican and Yugoslavia with the intention of examining both sides’ viewpoints and preparing the ground for the beginning of the negotiations. The development of the situation was also influenced by the holding of the Second Vatican Council, which announced the opening up of the Church to atheistic governments.Official negotiations between Vatican and Yugoslavia took place in a number of stages between June 1964 and June 1966. Although a considerable number of issues remained unsolved, the final text of the agreement, with a series of compromise solutions, was determined. While the Yugoslavian bishops opposed the signing of the agreement in the proposed form, the Holy See managed to convince them that the signing of the agreement was crucial as otherwise the Catholic Church in Yugoslavia would put itself in an even more difficult position. Thus the protocol between the Vatican and Yugoslavia was finally signed on the 25th of June 1966, followed by the exchange of ambassadors between the two countries.

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