Why is there a need to use a qualified local Guide in Medjugorje and in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Why is there a need to use a qualified local Guide in Medjugorje and in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Medjugorje especially are truly pleasure to visit. For many people, coming to Medjugorje was a life changing experience
To make the most of your visit, it could be a good idea to use a professional guide.
There are a number of criteria that need to be met in order to be a qualified guide. You need to have passed a difficult exam, be born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, live within the region in which you took the exam, have civil and political rights, obtained the minimum school leaving qualifications and are without a criminal record.The exam consists of a written and an oral test on the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in the local region, geography, tourism legislation and the local economy (agriculture, factories, local produce and craftsmanship) so that you can explain about the local monuments, museums, churches, and archaeological sites, and be proficient in the local customs. Also, you must speak a minimum of one foreign language to be a guide.
In addition, to become a local guide in the parish of Medjugorje you also need to meet number of criteria set by church authorities (Bible, catechism of the catholic church, messages of Our Lady in Medjugorje etc.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into regions and each region provides its own guide who is allowed to work only in their local region. Therefore a guide from Medjugorje (Mostar) is forbidden to guide in Sarajevo and vice versa, according to the law. The authorities can always stop the group and check that the guide, tour manager or driver is qualified, and if not, they risk being prosecuted under BiH law. This is why a professional always wears his or her identity badge and number which provides the customer with the relevant information to file a complaint, if need be.


taken from Anita's web page www.medjugorje.weebly.com