” ” ” “On Wednesday April 19th, a "Basic agreement" was signed in the President’s Palace in Sarajevo between the Holy See and Bosnia-Herzegovina, under which "some principles are confirmed and some provisions of common interest are defined". This was communicated today by the Holy See, adding that the agreement was signed on the day the Church celebrated the first anniversary of the appointment of Pope Benedict XVI. Mgr. Alessandro D’Errico, apostolic nuncio in Sarajevo, signed on behalf of the Holy See, and Ivo Miro Jovic, Croatian member of the Joint Presidency of the Country, signed on behalf of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The "solemn deed" was also attended by card. Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna (Sarajevo), with the country’s bishops and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mladen Ivanic. ” “The Agreement reads a note of the Holy See "acknowledges the respective independence and autonomy of the State and Church and their will to mutually cooperate" and lays down the legal framework of their mutual relations. In particular, it regulates the legal status of the Catholic Church in civil society; its freedom and independence in its apostolic activity and in the regulation of the spheres under its jurisdiction; freedom of religion and action in the cultural, educational, pastoral, charitable and media areas. The agreement also provides for the management of Catholic schools of all levels; spiritual assistance to the armed forces, in prisons and hospitals; the organisation of Catholic health-care and charitable facilities. The Agreement will come into effect after exchanging the ratification deeds.” “
