The Archbishop of Vrhbosna Vinko Puljic and Bosnia’s Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic called on domestic and international officials to engage in dialogue and reduce tensions not benefitting anyone in the country, during the meeting In the premises of the Archbishop's Residence in Sarajevo, on Friday.

In a cordial and open conversation, the two religious leaders in BiH discussed the relations between the Catholic Church and the Islamic Community, which they determined to be extremely good and expressed hope that they would remain so in the future. The Archbishop of Vrhbosna informed the reis-ul-ulema about the work of the First Synod, whose sessions are underway, and thanked him for being present at its opening.

They also touched on the current situation in the country, which they described as complex in political and security terms, which is further complicated in a dangerous direction whose outcome is unpredictable.

“The two called on domestic and international officials to engage in dialogue and reduce tensions not benefitting anyone in the country, which has recently emerged from the war and can only contribute even more to the already large emigration of people of all faiths and ethnicities from BiH. They especially stressed the need to stop the inciting vocabulary and create an atmosphere of respect and reconciliation among all and respect for the rights of every human being, respecting their identity in the process of creating a society of equal rights. They mentioned that any dialogue, including the political one, is always welcome and that it is desirable for the accumulated issues to be resolved in democratic conditions,” the Vrhbosna Archdiocese announced.