Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic commenced his two-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday morning with a tour of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Mostar, a historic Orthodox church destroyed during the war in 1992 and currently undergoing reconstruction.

Vucevic arrived in Mostar accompanied by a delegation from the Government of Republika Srpska (RS) entity, led by the entity's Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic. The progress of the restoration work was presented to the visitors by Dimitrije, the Bishop of Zahumlje-Herzegovina and the Littoral.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral, constructed in 1873, was the largest Orthodox church in the Balkans prior to its destruction. In June 1992, the church was set on fire and later completely demolished with explosives.

Restoration of the cathedral began in 2010. While the structural work has been completed, significant efforts remain, including interior renovations and landscaping around the site.

A substantial portion of the funding for the restoration has come from Serbia and the RS. Both Vucevic and Viskovic reiterated their commitment to supporting the project until its completion.

“This church was built almost 150 years ago and survived numerous wars until the last one. Unfortunately, in 1992, it was targeted as a symbol of Serbs in this region and was destroyed to erase its existence,” Viskovic remarked. “Together with the Serbian government, we embarked on this restoration. The church is now in an advanced stage of renovation, and we thank everyone who has contributed.”

During his remarks, Vucevic emphasized that his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina is centred on themes of spirituality, culture, and identity, as well as discussions on economic and infrastructure projects in Herzegovina. He pledged continued support for Serbs living in the region.

“We want to ensure the well-being of our people in the Federation (FBiH) entity and not focus solely on Serbs in Serbia,” Vucevic stated. “We must care for our community wherever it may be.”

The Serbian Prime Minister's visit will also include stops in Nevesinje and Trebinje, where he plans to meet with local officials and discuss ongoing projects.