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City Bijeljina

Friendship between local communities of Israel and Republika Srpska




Delegation of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel visited the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska.
 
- Haim Bibas, the chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel and the mayor of Modiin, is a great friend of Republika Srpska and Serbian people, which id also proven by the fact that this is his twelfth visit to Republika Srpska. Mr. Bibas and our Israeli friends have always represented us in the best possible manner on the international scene, and this visit is an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation which will be crowned in October by signing an agreement between the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel and the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska. This agreement will open up a path to establish partner and twinning cooperation between local communities in Israel and Republika Srpska, and to create stronger connections between our peoples – pointed out Ljubiša Ćosić, the chairman of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska and mayor of East Sarajevo.
 
The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel has 257 local communities, with approximately 9.5 million inhabitants.
 
- Eleven years ago, Modiin and Banja Luka became twin cities. We want other cities of Israel and Republika Srpska to establish partner and twinning relationships, so we invited the representatives of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska to attend our annual international conference. Around one hundred guests from the United States of America, Europe, Far East, Australia, and other parts of the world will attend the conference. Republika Srpska is a great friend of Israel and we think it is time to improve our relationship at the level of cooperation between local communities – pointed out Haim Bibas, the chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel and the mayor of Modiin.
 
After the meeting at the premises of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska, the delegation of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel and Ljubiša Petrović, the mayor of Bijeljina, visited the exhibition called “Jews in Bijeljina” at the Museum “Semberija” and the Jewish cemetery in Bijeljina. Mayor Petrović said that the City Administration will do everything to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the Jewish population in Bijeljina, and that Serbian people will never forget the good coexistence and joint suffering with the Jews from this area.
 
- We are grateful for everything Israel did for Republika Srpska and we are proud of our relationship with the Jewish people and country. Bijeljina wants to partner or twin with a similar city in Israel, because the fascinating results this country accomplishes in all areas shows that we can learn a lot from them and that we will have multiple benefits from exchanging knowledge and experience – added Ljubiša Petrović, the vice-chairman of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska and the mayor of Bijeljina.