Vatican, Bosnia-Herzegovina sign accord to guarantee church's rights

Published: 2007-10-25

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- An accord designed to guarantee religious rights and freedoms for the Catholic Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina formally went into effect Oct. 25 during a special ceremony at the Vatican. After meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, Zeljko Komsic, a Catholic Croat and president of the rotating presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, formally exchanged documents marking ratification of the accord, or concordat, with Vatican officials. Komsic, 43, underlined the importance of the concordat with the Vatican, saying it provides the legal framework for guaranteeing the right of the Catholic Church to carry out its activities in the country. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, called the occasion "a historic day in relations" between the two states. The accord with Bosnia-Herzegovina -- a multiethnic, multireligious war-torn nation -- "represents a positive development in the consolidation of a rule of law and the democratic principles Bosnia-Herzegovina wants to forge its future upon," Cardinal Bertone said.

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