Ethnic Croats continue to leave their homes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the number of Catholics in the country is in constant decline, the Catholic Church elders warned at the opening of Bosnia Bishops' Conference regular session on Monday.

While the bad economic situation is cited as the main reason for the migration, Bosnian Archbishop, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, warned that the reasons are also of political nature. Sometimes, those “political games” are open but at times they are played “behind the scenes,” he said.

“Besides, constant conflicts and the lack of readiness for cooperation at the political level is obstructing the development of this country and is causing many direct difficulties for all citizens, especially those on the verge of our community,” the cardinal was quoted as saying by the Catholic Press Agency (KTA).

As the smallest in number among Bosnia's three main ethnic groups, the Croats are particularly jeopardised by the overall situation in the country, said Puljic, mentioning as an example the objections against the holy mass for the WWII Bleiburg victims held in the Bosnian capital's main Cathedral earlier this year.

Despite the ordeals, the Church and its elders will continue bearing witness to their faith and defend the human, the life and family unity, said the Cardinal.

Franjo Komarica, Banja Luka Bishop, said there were less and less of Catholics living within the Diocese he heads, while all others left mostly due to the economic reasons.

He also warned about the problems in the Church's relationship with the authorities in Republika Srpska, Bosnia's Serb-dominated region, where Banja Luka is located.

“Although it's been 25 years since the end of the war, we are still, unfortunately with no success, asking the entity authorities to give us back the mortal remains of pastor Ratko Grgic from Nova Topola, who was kidnapped and murdered. Nobody was held accountable for his murder to this day nor for the deaths of our six other priests and a nun as well as hundreds of killed pastors, including dozens of massacred Catholics in Brisevo village,” said Komarica.