Avoiding ‘divisive rhetoric’ vital for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economy: Turkish president

ANKARA 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said avoiding “divisive rhetoric” is important for the peace and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Avoiding divisive rhetoric in the process leading up to the elections (scheduled for October) is important not only for the peace and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also for its economy and internal peace,” Erdogan said at the Türkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina Business Forum in the capital Sarajevo.

The Turkish president, on a three-day Balkan tour until Thursday, will also visit Serbia and Croatia.

Erdogan said Türkiye’s policy for Bosnia and Herzegovina has always been “sincere, objective, embracing, and unifying.”

The president called on Turkish businesspeople to invest more in the southeastern European country, saying: “Let’s make investments here and raise Bosnia and Herzegovina together.”

“Our trade volume in the first 8 months of this year increased by 15% compared to the same period last year, amounting to $627 million,” he said.

Erdogan added that the two countries want to increase this amount to above $1 billion.

“I would like to underline once again that we are and will be with Bosnia and Herzegovina in almost every field,” he said.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Recep Tayyip Erdogan
• Turkiye