Chairwoman of Council of Ministers of BIH Borjana Krišto at Audience with Holy Father Pope Leo XIV

Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Krišto stays in a visit to the Holy See, where an official audience was arranged with Holy Father People Leo XIV.

During the meeting, Chairwoman Krišto said she is especially honoured and pleased by the fact that this call is taking place before Holy Week and the most important Chirstian festival, Easter, stressing its additional spiritual and symbolic relevance.

As a representative of Coat people on the lead of the Council of Ministers of BIH, she said she had an opportunity to discuss operation of institutions, with an especial emphasis to position of and rights of the Croat people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She thanked for clear and consistent positions with the Holy See on a need to secure equal constitutive rights of Croats, facing violation of their collective national rights in BIH.

She emphasised that protection of Croat people in Bosnia and Herzegovina is of a key importance, implying that without Croats there is no Catholic Church in BIH. The role of Croat and Catholic community, which has featured Bosnia and Herzegovina for centuries, may be neither diminished nor derogated through institutions, or social position.

Chairwoman Krišto pextended to the Holy Father a cordial call to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina and the city of Mostar, as soon as opportunities allow it.

Further during her visit, Chairwoman Krišto held a bilateral meeting with Secretary of State of Holy See Cardinal Pietro Parolin, where she said that the role of the Catholic Church remains extremely important, not only in spiritual, but in social and educational context, as a guardian of one people and community’s guardian.

The importance of continuation of an open and meaningful dialogue with the Holy See was highlighted, especially as to issues requiring institutional consistency and implementation of obligations assumed. The Chairwoman briefed Cardinal Parolin of the current political developments in BIH, with a special emphasis to political position of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

She pointed out that an equal political position of all constitutive people is a foundation of stable and secure future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with necessary removal of all forms of discrimination in political and ele4ction systems. In that context, she highlighted a need for comprehensive reforms, especially of the election law, which currently prevents election of legitimate political representatives in bodies of collective representation.

At the end of the meeting, Chairwoman Kriššto thanked to Cardinal Parolin and the Holy See for their continued support to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During her stay in Rome, Chairwoman Krišto visited the Papal Croat Institute of St. Jeronimo, where she met representatives of this important institution, which has very important role in preserving Croat identity and spiritual heritage. (end)

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