CCEE - COMECE" "
“Bosnia Herzegovina has no future if a situation of ‘unjust peace’ persists and if equal rights are denied to the three main ethnic groups (Bosnians, Serbs and Croats)”. That’s the appeal to the international and local community made by the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of South-East Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, Romania and Turkey), at the end of their meeting held in Sarajevo from 25 to 27 February. “A large part of the refugees who fled the country are still living abroad and their return is being obstructed says a communiqué of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) released on 28 February -. The question of the return of properties to the Churches is still open. For their part the Churches have the particular task of diffusing the meaning of truth, justice and forgiveness in consciences”. It emerged from the meeting in Sarajevo that “the peoples of South-East Europe are faced by serious challenges: emigration (especially of the young), poverty, unemployment, corruption, economic inequality, lack of services, and political instability. The number of abortions, abandoned children, and girls who become prostitutes is appalling in some countries. The problem linked to the situation of ethnic and religious minorities remains”. At the same time, however, “investments are being made in education, solidarity, and intercultural dialogue. Great hopes are aroused by the prospect of the European Union”. The political leaders who intervened at the meeting promoted by the CCEE pointed out that this region is “a test bed of the policy of the European Union”. “A task has been begun say the bishops -, but now it needs to be brought to completion”. The bishops also urged that “international attention be kept alive on these countries and especially that pressure be brought to bear on local politicians so that they proceed themselves with the necessary institutional and economic reforms, foster the peaceful co-existence of ethnic groups, invest in education, and create favourable opportunities for refugees who return”. Other issues discussed at the meeting included the challenges posed by modern culture and secularisation. In South-East Europe, efforts need to be made “on the one hand, to seek a just form of secularism capable of distinguishing between religious sphere and political sphere and, on the other, to grasp the danger posed by a materialist culture, impervious to any transcendental dimension”. During the meeting the participants visited the Jewish community, Islamic centre and Orthodox church of Sarajevo.
