Milanovic expressed satisfaction that many business people based in Siroki Brijeg were also operating in Croatia, and said that he was encouraged by the messages from today's meeting which involved the authorities of Siroki Brijeg and Western Herzegovina Canton, and local business people. He stressed that the aid provided by Croatia should not be dispersed on small projects, but focused on important institutions such as hospitals and universities, in which the previous Croatian government had also invested.

Milanovic dismissed the criticism from the President of the Social Democratic Party and Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zlatko Lagumdzija, that his visit was too focused on one ethnic group, namely the Croats.

"Today I'm meeting representatives of the Croatian People's Assembly. Those parties received a lot of votes and deserve to be heard. After all, no one has seen it as a problem before," Milanovic said, adding that Croatia would not change its policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"There should be no essential changes. Bosnia and Herzegovina is delicate and unique. There are laws and the spirit of laws. There have been stumbling blocks over Dayton for 17 years. I repeat, I didn't come here for votes, but to hear what problems people have and try to help, possibly as a go-between, unburdened with what happened in the past," Milanovic said.

In the afternoon, Milanovic is scheduled to visit the University Hospital and the University in Mostar, where he is to deliver a lecture on the forthcoming accession of Croatia to the European Union. He will conclude his visit by meeting representatives of the Croatian People's Assembly in the Croatian Consulate-General in Mostar.