Thousands of Turks living in Europe have poured into Bosnia to attend Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nearly euphoric pre-election rally that was moved to Sarajevo after several EU countries have banned the Turkish President from campaigning on their soil.

Waving Turkish and Bosnian flags and chanting the Turkish President’s name, the supporters honked as they drove through the Bosnian capital toward the sports hall Zetra.

The Union of European Turkish Democrats has organized the event as its sixth congress and announced between 10,000 to 15,000 supporters from all over Europe.  

Erdogan called for national unity and support at the June 24 election in Turkey.  

The gathering has drawn criticism from Serbs and Croats in Bosnia who see it as a sign of support for Bosniaks, namely for the party of current Bosnian Presidency member, Bakir Izetbegovic, the Party for Democratic Action (SDA), ahead of Bosnia’s October election.  

Erdogan’s supporters arrived in Sarajevo from Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, the U.K., Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Macedonia, Norway and the Czech Republic.  

A giant screen was set up in front of the sports hall for those who could not fit inside.

While calling for unity among the Turks and listing the successes of his government, Erdogan heavily criticized Europe for not letting him hold his rally there.

“European countries believe they are the cradle of democracy but they failed this test,” Erdogan said.

“Bosnia has partly shown in Sarajevo that it is a democratic country. True friendship and brotherhood has been displayed today. Bosnian people have with this move shown a centuries-long friendship which will last,” he said.

Erdogan urged the Turkish diaspora to maintain its religion and language but also speak the languages of the countries they live in and asked them to cast their votes at the upcoming June 24 election in Turkey.

“I am going to ask something of you now and I want your answer to be heard all the way to Germany. Will you support us?” he yelled as the crowd roared its approval.

Izetbegovic also attended the rally and urged Turks in Europe to vote for Erdogan, claiming God had sent him to the Turks.  

He listed all the troubles Turkey is facing with its internal enemies and those on its borders, with the millions of refugees it is taking care of in the same way as the country is caring about its own citizens.  

“Turkey not only is dealing with all of this but it is advancing. That’s because you have a man sent by God. His name is Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” he said.  

Most of Erdogan’s supporters came because it was their only chance to attend an Erdogan rally after EU countries banned it.

“Because of the intolerant governments of the EU, we came to Sarajevo,” one of the supporters told N1.  

“They don’t let us meet our president in our countries. That’s non-tolerance and fascism,” he said.  

“We love Erdogan and, of course, we want to support him. He did so much for Bosnia, Syria. He helped children. He is a kind person, not only a president. I will always follow and support such a person,” another supporter told N1.