Prime Minister Plenković with ministers visiting Mostar

Premier Andrej Plenković visited Mostar with ministers and officials as part of a working visit aimed at strengthening cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The delegation included ministers of spatial planning, regional development, tourism and sports, labor and social policy, and the head of the Central Office for Croats abroad. During the visit, Plenković toured key educational, health care, and cultural institutions, including the University Clinical Hospital Mostar, the construction site of the Croatian National Theatre Mostar, and the Monastery of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, where agreements were signed to support projects involving Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Plenković emphasized that this visit is part of a broader government strategy to improve relations between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly focusing on the rights and interests of Croats living outside Croatia. He noted that this effort has been ongoing for the past decade and continues to build upon previous initiatives such as those held in Posavina and Orašje, which saw over 37 million euros in project funding. This current initiative totals around 36 million euros, reflecting the sustained commitment of all relevant ministries and offices to cross-border collaboration. The Croatian government participates in two financial perspectives under the European Union’s framework, engaging in transboundary cooperation programs where Croatian partners work alongside Bosnian and Herzegovinian counterparts. To date, more than 117 such projects have been implemented, totaling nearly 130 million euros. Additionally, Croatia has decided to allocate funds from its national budget to further support joint projects conducted by Croatian partners on both sides of the border. A dedicated program supporting Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched in 2021, has already realized 370 projects worth 15 million euros. A key objective of these efforts is to share knowledge gained through Croatia's experience, helping Bosnia and Herzegovina avoid costly mistakes made during Croatia’s early years as a member state of the European Union. Karlo Ressler, a member of the European Parliament, highlighted the importance of this exchange, noting that while there are valuable lessons to be learned from Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is equally crucial to prevent repeating past errors. Currently, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains somewhat stalled in its European integration process due to political blockages. However, new strategies, regional, municipal, cantonal, and federal, are set to be developed by the end of this year and early next year. These strategies will aim to integrate Croatian priorities and needs into the context of European policies, particularly within the framework of the new European financial perspective. Ivan Jurilj, head of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for European Integration, outlined the significance of this step in aligning local efforts with broader European goals.