- Published: 27.05.2014.
Croatian PM opens reconstructed museum in Franciscan monastery in Bosnia
Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic on Tuesday formally inaugurated a new building of the Franciscan monastery in Fojnica outside the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo and on that occasion he pledged Croatia's assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina .
In my capacity as Croatia's Prime Minister I would like to say that I perceive my tasks regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina as help to that country to become an area of freedom and security very soon, Milanovic said at the ceremony, recalling that Croatia showed its solidarity with its neighbour during the recent devastating flooding.Croatia wants to help Bosnia not as a tutor or mentor but assist it in its efforts to accomplish full freedom to which Bosnia and Herzegovina's peoples aspire, Milanovic added.
He said that Croatia would help local Croats in efforts to remain in areas their ancestors inhabited for centuries.
The premier acknowledged that this was first time for him to hold a speech in a church.
Today's ceremony was held to inaugurate the renewed building housing the monastery's library which keeps some of books dating back to 14th century and the monastery museum.
Croatia has earmarked two million kuna for this project, and the government alone set aside HRK 560,000.
The project of renovating this medieval monastery has lasted 14 years and Croatia's outlays for this purpose are part of efforts to help local Croats stay living in the area.
The monastery's superior, Friar Nikica Vujica, expressed happiness with this job done and thanked Croatia for assistance.
The Franciscan monastery of the Holy Spirit was founded in Fojnica in 1668.
The monastery's museum holds the Ahd-Namah (the Order) of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror guaranteeing security and freedom to the Franciscans. The library's archive preserves more than 3,000 documents from the Ottoman Empire, with 13 of them dating back to 1481. There are also some 50,000 titles kept in this library.
Historian Dubravko Lovrenovic, a professor from Sarajevo University, said that the monastery's museum spoke about "an existential drama of Christianity on the fringes."
(Hina)