"I came here to tell you that we are friends, to tell you how important BiH is to us and that we want to share a European future," Josipovic said in Sarajevo on Monday at a reception given in his honour by Croatian Ambassador Tonci Stanicic. In attendance were nearly all important Bosnian politicians and ambassadors accredited to Bosnia.
Bosnia needs optimism, it is now in the situation Croatia was in many years ago when it had yet to carry out the reforms required for EU accession, said Josipovic.
"I am certain that you can secure a European future, that you will do it and that you will have many friends on that path," he said, adding that Croatia would always be a friend and that Croatia's experience was at Bosnia's disposal.
Croatia's EU membership brings challenges too, the president said, calling on the governments and all other institutions to continue building good relations and see the difficulties, such as the current ones in trade, as positive challenges.
Josipovic said he saw everyone in Bosnia, regardless of nationality, as a friend. "I tell you once again, you have a friend and a collaborator in Croatia."
At the end of the first day of his official visit to Bosnia, he held a working dinner with Council of Ministers Chairman Vjekoslav Bevanda and the Prime Ministers of the Federation and Serb entities, Nermin Niksic and Zeljko Cvijanovic respectively.
On Tuesday, he is scheduled to visit Brcko and Tuzla.