Bosnia's tripartite Presidency members, Zeljko Komsic, Sefik Dzaferovic, and Milorad Dodik met on Friday with the Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, Msgr Paul Richard Gallagher.

Komsic, Dzaferovic, and Dodik thanked Gallagher for the “material, spiritual and political help and support” that the Holy See has been providing to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past 30 years, and for advocating inter-religious dialogue, tolerance, and equality of members of all faiths.

“Pope Francis shows great interest in the social and political situation in Bosnia, and strongly supports co-existence in the country, emphasizing that diversity is wealth,” Gallagher said.

They also discussed the current political situation in the country, its EU accession path, and the demographic situation in Bosnian society.

At the end of the meeting, everybody agreed that the relations between Bosnia and the Vatican are “extremely good and friendly,” although there is still room to “additionally strengthen and intensify” them, Bosnia’s collective Presidency said in a statement after the meeting.

Gallagher, whose department is the Holy See’s equivalent of a foreign ministry, is currently on a four-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and will visit three Catholic bishopric seats – in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, and Mostar – where he will join believers celebrating mass at local cathedrals.