Mostar - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Thursday met with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Islamic community in Mostar, stressing that Croatia supports their dialogue as a contribution to the restoration of trust and building Bosnia and Herzegovina as a state of three equal peoples and equal citizens.
Leko, who arrived in Mostar from Sarajevo, met with the head of the Franciscan monastery in Mostar Iko Skoko, after which he and Skoko visited the Koska mosque where they were welcomed by the head of the local Islamic community Salem Dedović. Leko also visited a Serb Orthodox church where he met with parish priest Radivoje Krulj.
Leko also visited Mostar's Old Bridge and Old City. He said his talks in Sarajevo were "excellent, open and very useful" and supported efforts aimed at reaching an internal agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the country's integration with the EU. Later in the evening, Leko was to attend an event organised by the Vecernji List BiH daily at which the Person of the Year award was to be presented. The event was to be held under the auspices of Leko and Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister Vjekoslav Bevanda.
On Friday Leko is scheduled to visit the Monastery of St. Francis in Bijelo Polje and address students and meet with the head of Mostar University Ljerka Ostojić. (Hina)