 He was appointed Eparchial Bishop of the Eparchy of Križevci on 22 July 1960, but the next year, on 2 March 1961 become a Coadjutor Archbishop and on 24 March 1964 an Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Belgrade.Archbishop Bukatko continued to govern the Eparchy of Križevci as an Apostolic Administrator until his death.Also he was an Apostolic Administrator of Apostolic Administration of Banat from 1961 to 1971.