Croatian PM visits Mostar to support efforts to calm situation

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic in Mostar on Sunday visited buildings damaged during three-day protests in this southern Bosnia and Herzegovina town, saying he arrived in Bosnia to support efforts aimed at the calming the situation in the country.

"This (protests) would not have happened had Bosnia developed a clear coherent policy about what it wants," Milanovic said.

According to him, Bosnia needs to receive signs of European prospects as soon as possible. If this does not happen, Milanovic said, things like this (protests) will happen in the future as well and this is not in Croatia's interest.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have a chance unless it starts its process of adjustment to the European Union," Milanovic said.

Asked why he decided to visit Mostar and not Sarajevo, Milanovic said: "Because it is closer," adding that Mostar was a mixed area with two peoples living there which, as he said "had its weight and its dangers."

Milanovic and the Chairman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers, Vjekoslav Bevanda, visited the building of the Herzegovina-Neretva Conty which was set and fire in recent protests which spread throughout Bosnia.

Milanovic also visited the building of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) which was also damaged in the protests. He was welcomed by HDZ BiH president Dragan Covic who informed Milanovic of the damage.

(Hina)



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