Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the PABiH Marinko Čavara Visited the Croatian Heritage Foundation and the Institute for Migration Research in Zagreb

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH) Marinko Čavara, during an official stay in Zagreb, visited the Croatian Heritage Foundation and the Institute for Migration Research, where he held working meetings on topics of mutual interest.

In the conversation with the Director of the Institute for Migration Research, Marina Perić Kaselj, a special emphasis was placed on current migration trends and the position of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a constituent people. It was noted that the Institute for Migration Research is already conducting several studies in BiH, focusing on identity preservation, as well as the challenges of emigration and return.

The Institute expressed interest in additional research in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a specific focus on Central Bosnia as an area of exceptional importance for the Croat people.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Marinko Čavara emphasised that a decrease in the number of emigrated persons has been noticeable in the recent period, along with an encouraging increase in the number of those returning to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The interlocutors exchanged views on the causes of such trends and on the possibilities of further encouraging return, aiming to preserve identity and strengthen the demographic stability of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the meeting with the Director of the Croatian Heritage Foundation, Zdeslav Milas, the interlocutors discussed the preservation and further development of the national, linguistic, and cultural identity of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The importance of continuous institutional support for projects contributing to connecting the Croat people in BiH with the Republic of Croatia, as well as strengthening cultural, educational, and social ties, was emphasised particularly.

The meetings were also attended by the Minister of Finance of the Central Bosnia Canton, Mirjana Plavčić, and the Chairman of the Municipal Council of Busovača, Marko Šantić, and the talks proceeded in a constructive atmosphere, with an expressed readiness to further enhance cooperation on joint projects. (press release from the Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Marinko Čavara)