ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - Croatian and Bosnian bishops met on Tuesday in Mostar to warn that Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina are outvoted and that they should be equal to the other two main ethnic groups, with Croatian Bishops' Conference (HBK) head Želimir Puljić voicing satisfaction with Croatia's improved care for them.
"Unfair laws enable the outvoting of the less numerous ones by the majority, with the Croats suffering most frequently," Sarajevo Archbishop Tomo Vukšić said at the meeting.
He added that the Church is constantly reminding the BiH authorities that they need to respect the rights of every man and the collective rights of every ethnic group. He called for "changing unfair legal solutions and adopting and implementing just laws." Addressing a press conference in Mostar, Archbishop Vukšić explained that as an "individual from the rank of Croats," he expected equal rights for all ethnic groups.
Zadar's Archbishop and HBK president Puljić said that he understands the frustrations of Croats in BiH, and that he is "happy to feel that Croatia is caring for its people in BiH."
"Seeing that it is a signatory to the Dayton Accord, Croatia has an obligation to care for the Croat people and in doing so, it cares about the entire country, which has been blocked for a long time," Puljić underscored. He said that he hoped BiH would soon "see the prospect of European Union membership," and that its EU membership bid was strongly supported by Croatia.
"I hope that Croatia will help BiH, notably Croats, to join the community of peoples as soon as possible," he added.
