In the presence of numerous political and ecclesiastical authorities, the fundamental accord between the Holy See and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH) was solemnly signed in the Presidential Palace in Sarajevo on 19 April, date of the first anniversary of the election of Benedict XVI. The accord recognises the independence and autonomy of the Church and also commits Bosnia-Herzegovina to returning the properties expropriated from the Catholic Church by the Communist regime after the Second World War. The accord was signed, on behalf of BH, by Ivo Miro Jovic, Croatian member of the tripartite Bosnian Presidency, and, on behalf of the Holy See, by Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico, Apostolic Nuncio in the country. The accord, declared Jovic in his speech, “is a special confirmation of the right to freedom of religion in our country, which aspires to enter the European Union”. President Jovic also announced that “similar accords would soon be signed with the other religious communities (Islamic, Jewish and Serb Orthodox Church)”. All the bishops of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina were also present at the signing ceremony. The vast majority of Catholics in BH are Bosnian-Croatian. They represent 17% of the 3.8 million inhabitants. The most numerous community is that of the Muslims, followed by that of the Serb Orthodox.
