Members of the Joint Collegium of both Houses of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly spoke with the President of Croatia


Relations between BiH and Croatia have been developed in the spirit of neighbourliness to resolve outstanding issues as well as to promote regional co-operation in all fields, meeting European standards in the bilateral relations between the two countries, as was pointed out during a meeting of members of the Joint Collegium of both Houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH PA) with the newly-elected President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar - Kitarović. 

Congratulating Mrs. Grabar - Kitarović on her victory in the elections, the Chairperson of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA, Bariša Čolak, welcomed the fact that the newly-elected President of Croatia fullfilled her promise and chose BiH as the first country she visited.  Such choice, said Čolak, testified to the importance Croatia attaches to bilateral relations with BiH. The Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA expressed his belief that Croatia, with its experience of the European integration process, will help BiH on the European road, and that relations between the two countries will get better day by day. 

Joining in the congratulations to the Croatian President, the Chairperson of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA, Šefik Džaferović, hoped that the good neighbourly relations between BiH and Croatia would continue to develop at the highest level. Džaferović stressed the need for a joint approach by the two countries at regional and multilateral levels, and underlined that he expects strong support from Croatia during European and Euro-Atlantic integration. According to the Chairperson of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA, our country is a good choice for the first visit of the Croatian President, as, in his opinion, it contributes to establishing a much-needed positive political atmosphere and easing of relations in BiH and across the region. 

The Deputy Chairperson of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA, Mladen Bosić, said that the visit of Croatian President is understood as a gesture of goodwill and as an intention by the two neighbouring countries to improve relations at all levels. Bosić expressed the hope that the conflicts of the past can stay in the  past and that the entire region is looking to the future and to co-operation. He called upon all of the most important officials in both countries to make further efforts to resolve all outstanding issues between BiH and Croatia. Highlighting that the correction of the economic situation in BiH is top priority, the Deputy Chairperson of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA said that he also expects co-operation and understanding in the economic sphere. 

The Croatian President was addressed by the Deputy Chairperson of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA, Borjana Krišto, who stated that the arrival of Mrs. Grabar - Kitarović in BiH is perceived as a friendly visit. Noting that BiH is only possible as a State of three fully equal nations, Mrs. Krišto stressed that the resolution of this issue is a basic prerequisite for BiH on the European and Euro-Atlantic path. 

Expressing satisfaction with the warm welcome in Sarajevo, the President of Croatia, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar – Kitarović, said that she visited BiH with messages of friendship and good-neighbourliness and added that Zagreb and Sarajevo are not far away, and that they want to keep that closeness in relations between the two countries. 

According to Mrs. Grabar – Kitarović, Croatia will continue to support BiH in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration, emphasizing that she expects that her five-year term as President of Croatia will be filled with dialogue and the resolution of all outstanding issues with BiH. 

The Croatian President underlined that Croatia respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and added that Croatia is interested in resolving the constitutional position of Croats, respecting any agreement of the elected representatives of all three constituent peoples. (End)