An Islamic cultural centre, financed mostly by private donors, opened on Sunday in Doboj, a town in the Bosnian Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska (RS).

“The city of Doboj is different because of one thing,” said Doboj Mayor Boris Jerinic. “ In one street we have four religious communities – the Orthodox, Catholic, Islamic and Jewish one,” he said at the opening.

The 1.5 million Bosnian Mark building has, among other thing, a library and a reading room.

Officials representing the centre expressed their gratitude to individuals, associations and institutions that made the building of the object possible, including the Government of Republika Srpska, the Mayor as well as a state Parliament lawmaker, Obren Petrovic.

Jerinic told reporters that the project is a result of good cooperation between institutions of Republika Srpska, those of the other semi-autonomous entity, the Federation (FBiH) and Turkey.

He reminded that Bosnian Serb leader and member of the country’s tripartite presidency, Milorad Dodik, has last year donated 100.000 Bosnian Marks for the construction of the building.

Turkish Ambassador Haldun Koc said that Doboj is a symbol of tolerance and a multicultural and multiethnic city and that Turkey will also contribute to the building of a bridge that will connect Doboj to a neighbouring town in FBiH.