Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bishops’ Plenary. “Accession to the European Union will help preserve peace”

The 89th ordinary session of the Bishops' Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, chaired by Mgr Tomo Vuksic, Archbishop of Sarajevo and President of the Bishops’ Conference, took place on 20 and 21 March. The meeting was attended by all the Bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina and also by representatives of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), Mgr. Domenico Cornacchia, Bishop of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, and of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, Mgr Zdenko Krizic, Archbishop of Split-Makarska. The Apostolic Nuncio to the Balkan country was represented by the secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature, Mgr Javier Camanes Fores. During the session, the Bishops expressed their support for the start of negotiations for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to the EU, with the conviction that “this will above all help preserve peace, which is such a precious asset in these lands”. In their opinion, “the European journey will improve the lives of all citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and will not only help to ensure that people do not leave the country, especially young people, but also contribute to the return of those who are now abroad and would like to build a future in their homeland”. In the run-up to the Jubilee of 2025, the Bishops encourage all the faithful to pray “for an abundance of graces and experiences of God's presence also through numerous pilgrimages and other initiatives in the context of the Jubilee”. The appeal is meant to promote events at the diocesan level and to foster participation in those of the universal Church.
Valentina Bombelli