The President of Croatia Ivo Josipović and Head of the EU Delegation to BiH Peter Sorensen visited Brčko today, where they met and spoke with representatives of legislative and executive authorities, business people and employers from BiH and Croatia.
The Croatian President arrived to Brčko by helicopter, and he received a welcome from the Mayor of Brčko District Anto Domić, along with his closest colleagues. They then headed towards the Brčko-Gunja bridge, where they were awaited by the Head of the EU Delegation to BiH Ambassador Peter Sorensen.
President Ivo Josipović addressed journalists and said that he is convinced that the good cooperation between Croatia and BiH would continue, and that it would expand to various areas.
“I am convinced that the Croatian accession to the EU will be positive for BiH and I think that new joint spaces are opening up for economic, cultural and every other type of cooperation’’, said Josipović.
In response to a question from a journalist regarding the equality of Croats in BiH and the structure of a third entity, Josipović said that Croatia would not become involved in the internal planning and organization of BiH.
“This is your internal issue, everything that deals with the constituent peoples and all other citizens on how their country should look, and we will be satisfied with that. The analysis shows that a third entity is not the solution, but this is about a compromise’’, added Josipović.
Speaking on today’s visit to Brčko District, Josipović said that Brčko is an example of ties with Croatia and that the city could become a ‘symbol of the future, of a European BiH”.
Mayor Anto Domić sees the visit of the Croatian President as recognition of past efforts and activities on the construction and organization of the local community.
“From the other side, this is one incentive for us all to continue to work on establishing co-existence, mutual trust, tolerance and economic prosperity’’, said Domić.
“It gives me great pleasure, as the EU Special Representative, to see that the President of Croatia for his first visit since the country became an EU member state visited BiH. This should be encouraging for us all that Europe is open to those who wish to enter it, for those who wish to meet its obligations’’, said Sorensen.
Halfway on the bridge Brčko-Gunja, Josipović and Domić cut a cake that was decorated with the flags of BiH, Croatia and the EU, and after that they drank champagne and then went to the town hall.
(Source: Fena)
