Prime Minister Milanovic: Croatia's EU entry opportunity, challenge for Croatia, Bosnia

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic has said that Croatia's forthcoming admission to the European Union is creating opportunities for both Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that the coming period will also be challenging for the two neighbours, however, he has ruled out a possibility that a high number of local Croats will therefore leave Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Here the past was always full of challenges and also the present has challenges. And it will be so in the future as well. However, there are chances and I believe we will make use of them," Milanovic told the press on Monday, after he visited the southern towns of Stolac and Capljina, on the first day of his two-day visit to Bosnia.

He also does not believe that his country's admission to the EU will trigger off a large-scale departure of Bosnian Croats and destabilisation of their status in Bosnia.

"People (Croats here) are tenacious and they struggle. They have institutions and I have no fears for them. We will help them as much as we can," Milanovic said in a comment on the possibility that local Bosnian Croats, most of whom also hold Croatian passports, might depart for Croatia and the EU in a quest for a better future.

Milanovic also expects Croatian entrepreneurs to find joint interests and set up manufacturing plants both in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina upon Croatia's EU entry.

Asked by reporters about the inequality which the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina are faced with and about the imposition of politicians who represent the Croats, although a majority of Croats have not voted for them, the visiting Croatian premier said that it was a matter to be addressed by local authorities.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have the happiest constitution, it is not in compliance with some European documents, charters and conventions. The Dayton constitution is such as it is. Bosnia and Herzegovina is primarily a country of three nations: Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats," Milanovic said.

Asked to comment on his forthcoming meeting with premiers Ivica Dacic of Serbia, Milo Djukanovic of Montenegro and Vjekoslav Bevanda of Bosnia and Herzegovina at a joint dinner later today, ahead od tomorrow's business fair to be opened in Mostar, as all of them would attend the opening ceremony, Milanovic said that this would be an informal meeting.

"I am here for the Mostar fair. If several prime ministers from the region come here, it is good. It is no trilateral or quadrilateral meeting. We will gather for the dinner and nothing else should be expected."

On Monday afternoon, Milanovic is scheduled to visit the Medjugorje Marian shrine and hold talks with local Roman Catholic clergy, including Mostar Bishop Ratko Peric.

The 16th edition of the international fair in Mostar will formally open on Tuesday and Milanovic will hold a speech.

(Hina)



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