First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusic on Monday said she was surprised by Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down as pontiff of the Catholic Church.
"I am surprised, I will have to enquire about the reasons," Pusic told reporters following a meeting of parliamentary committees in the Croatian parliament.
Former PM Jadranka Kosor also could not hide her astonishment.
"Despite being aware of the Holy Father's health, this is unexpected. I am immeasurably sorry", Kosor said and added that she was glad that she was the prime minister when the Holy Father visited Croatia.
"They were truly unforgettable moments, and I am convinced that he is a giant moral authority", she said, adding that the Pope would certainly be missed".
Former President Stjepan Mesic said that the Pope's withdrawal was certainly a precedent in the Church which has not occurred for more than six centuries.
His decision shows a high level of responsibility toward the Church and his position and most importantly, toward his faithful, Mesic said in a statement to the press.
The former Croatian president said that Pope Benedict XVI, compared to his exceptionally popular predecessor, was not a religious leader and political factor. "He was primarily a theologian and conservative at that, but he never hid this or shunned away", said Mesic, adding that the Pope's decision needed to be accepted with respect.
"Today's world and with that the Catholic Church, is faced with unforeseeable challenges. We can only hope that the Pope's successor will be someone who will know how to face these challenges, keeping in mind his responsibility for the largest number of followers and of the circumstances they and the entire world are living in", said Mesic.
Pope Benedict shocked the world on Monday by saying he no longer had the mental and physical strength to cope with his ministry, in an announcement in which he said that he would step down on 28 February.
Pope Benedict XVI visited Croatia 4-5 June 2011, which was his 19th Apostolic Visit abroad. His visit to Croatia was conducted under the motto "Zajedno u Kristu" (Together with Christ). This was the fourth visit to Croatia by a pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. His predecessor John Paul II, whom Pope Benedict XVI beatified, visited Croatia on three occasions (1994, 1998, 2003). Before taking the helm of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, or Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, visited Croatia twice.
