THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES VISIT REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

Belgrade, 28 August 2004 – TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine accompanied by the member of the Crown Council Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Kavran are staying in Republika Srpska on the occasion of the First Serbian Uprising Bicentennial celebration, from today to Monday, 30 August.

On their way to Republika Srpska, Their Royal Highnesses visited the Health Centre in Uzice, where they delivered an incubator, ECG machine and two gynaecological tables.

Then The Crown Prince and The Crown Princess went on to Mokra Gora where they took a ride in the famous “Cira” train, on the “Sargan’s Eight” railroad, which is a great tourist attraction today. The Royal Couple there met our famous film director Mr. Emir Kusturica, with whom they remembered their meeting in Greece a few years ago. Their Royal Highnesses expressed gratitude to Mr. Kusturica for presenting our country in the best possible way in many film festivals in the world.

Their Royal Highnesses continued the journey to the border crossing Vardiste, and then to Monastery of Dobrun. His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaj of Dabar and Bosnia hosted lunch in the Monastery of Dobrun for Their Royal Highnesses and His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Pavle, the President of Republika Srpska Mr. Dragan Cavic and the member of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidium Mr. Borislav Paravac.

After the lunch, The Royal Couple visited the Health Centre in Visegrad where they brought an ECG machine and defibrillator and together with His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Pavle delivered an incubator, as a part of the great humanitarian program "Let Us Breathe in Life to Serbia", in which the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine has been involved from the very beginning.

The General Manager Dr. Jasna Vidakovic and her associates welcomed the dearest guests, thanked them for their efforts in helping our people and introduced them to this health institution’s work and problems.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess afterwards attended the ceremony of opening of the Memorial room in Visegrad, dedicated to the soldiers who had perished in this region, which was opened by the President of Republika Srpska Mr. Dragan Cavic in the presents of the Prime Minister Mr. Dragan Mikerevic and the member of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidium Mr. Borislav Paravac, who greeted Their Royal Highnesses and express hope for more encounters like this in the future.

After the opening The Crown Prince and Crown Princess took a walk on the famous bridge on the Drina river and enjoyed a boat ride to “Vilina Vlas” residency. At the Cultural Centre in Visegrad, a special program was performed, and after that a cocktail hosted by the President of Republika Srpska Mr. Dragan Cavic. This concluded the first day of Their Royal Highnesses visit to Republika Srpska.