Zagreb, March 23, 2000 (IKA) — At the invitation of the Department of Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance of the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka, Bosnia- Herzegovina, spent yesterday, March 22, in Berlin. Before members of Parliament, he delivered a speech on the current state of human rights, spiritual renewal and material renewal in the wake of the recent tragic war. In an open discussion, the members of Parliament showed great interest in the current situation and future of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and neighboring countries.
Bishop Komarica urged the German politicians to invest greater efforts within the framework of the Stability Pact regarding the safeguarding and affirmation of the fundamental human rights and freedoms for every individual person and every ethnic and religious community in this part of the European continent. He also asked them for greater material assistance for the planned return of refugees and displaced persons to the territories of Bosnia-Herzegovina, particularly to the entity of the Republika Srpska, and to Croatian territory.
The bishop also had separate conversations with several leading German politicians from various parties in the German Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They were particularly interested in the readiness of the governments of the Republic of Croatia and both the entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to begin the process of returning refugees and displaced persons. On each occasion, Bishop Komarica pointed out that the current authorities are showing greater political will to find a positive solution to the problems of the refugees and displaced persons but lack sufficient funding, which they expected to receive from the international community.
During this one-day visit to Berlin, Bishop Komarica also met with the international mediator for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dr. Christian Schwartz-Schilling; the chief of the office of the UNHCR for Germany, Jean Noel Wetterwald; the archbishop of Berlin, Cardinal George Sterzinsky; and the director of the German branch of Caritas, Prelate Helmut Puschmann. He also granted several interviews to the German media.
After returning to Zagreb, the bishop told IKA that he was very satisfied with the results of his official visit to Berlin and the German Parliament, adding, “I am grateful to God that he has once again provided me with the opportunity to urge European politicians to demonstrate their credibility and offer greater assistance and protection to all the disenfranchised people in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the neighboring countries. I am also grateful to the influential German politicians who expressly promised that their doors would be open to me and that they were prepared to provide concrete assistance to the regions afflicted by the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.”