Republika Srpska Leader and Roman Catholic Official Praise Increased Unity

Apostolic Nuncio Urges Croats to Vote in Upcoming Elections

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia, July 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and Apostolic Nuncio to BiH, Archbishop Alessandro D'Errico, stated yesterday that the Bosnian Serb government and the Catholic religious community in RS have significantly improved their relationship over the past four years, the Government's press office said in an official statement.

In an official statement issued by the Republika Srpska (RS) press office, D'Ericco pointed at significant financial assistance that RS Government had provided for the Catholic religious community in RS and expressed his confidence that this cooperation will continue, the statement said. "Dodik and D'Errico discussed options to improve cooperation, and exchanged opinions about the current situation in RS and BiH."

Also this week, the vice president of Republika Srpska, Davor Cordas, held talks with Apostolic Nuncio Alessandro D'Errico about how to motivate as many displaced Croats as possible to vote in Bosnian elections in October.

The Croat turnout will be very important for the credibility and strength of the Croat policy, not only at the elections, but also afterwards, during negotiations on the country's constitutional arrangement, Cordas told D'Errico.

Both officials agreed that all possible steps should be taken so that all displaced persons are registered by July 19 so that they are able to vote in the polls.

Archbishop D'Errico praised the progress that Croat Catholics are making in Banja Luka, the Republika Srpska capital, especially with regard to the rebuilding of their prewar homes and the rebuilding of Catholic Church premises.

Earlier this month, the "Iustitia et Pax" commissions of the Catholic bishops' conferences in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina called on Croats with dual Croatian and Bosnian citizenship to register to participate in general elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in an attempt to preserve "the Croat political and ethnic subjectivity" in that country.

The deadline for registration expired on 19 July. The elections are set for October 3.

This material is circulated by Quinn Gillespie & Associates on behalf of the Republika Srpska, for which QGA is registered as a foreign agent with the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., where a registration statement and additional materials are available for public inspection

SOURCE Mr. Gordan Milosevic, Government of the Republika Srpska