Minister Vlaisavljević visited on Monday, 27 May 2024 the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Obri and the Parish of St. Ante of Padua of Podhum-Zitača with other members of the delegation: Tomislav Martinović, the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament and Marija Buhač, prime-minister of the Herzegovina-Neretva County.

The Delegation of Croat officials was welcomed by Fr. Marin Marić, parish priest of Obri and Solakova Kula parishes, Fr. Ivica Karatović, parish priest of Podhum-Žitače parish and president of the City Committee of HDZ BiH Konjic Ivan Antić.

It was pointed out by the hosts that the area was rich in spiritual vocations and the culture and tradition of the Croat community. Unfortunately, the number of returnees was small, and therefore the opportunities for projects and cooperation were poor as well.

In the first part of the meeting in the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Obri, Don Marin Marić spoke about that parish as well as the parish of Solakova Kula and about their potential in the segment of cultural and historical heritage protection. Don Marin also introduced the guests to the monograph titled “Klis – Neretvica. Parishes Obri, Podhum/Žitače and Solakova Kula” by Ivan Anđelić, which described the area in which about 6.000 Catholics lived in three parishes before the recent war, and inhabitants of which were met with many tragic circumstances in the period from the Jablanica Lake creation until the 1990-ies’ war.

In the second part of the meeting, the guests visited the oldest Catholic church in the region and one of the oldest in Herzegovina. It was pointed out that the restoration and protection of that building was necessary, given that the parish was the centre of the life of the Catholic population.

In the constructive dialogue of the delegation of Croat officials, it was noted that the meeting opened the story of a necessity to restore the historical and cultural monuments of the region.

Finally, Minister Vlaisavljević emphasized that the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports would be a support in the process of protecting cultural and historical monuments, all with the aim of preserving the heritage of the Croat Catholic people of these regions.