Bosnia and Herzegovina's tripartite Presidency paid an official visit to Turkey on Tuesday where they met their Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bosnian Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik called the meeting a success and proof of continuously good relations between the two countries.

The pandemic terminated the communication but this is the right moment to resume the cooperation, which will get an incentive with three contracts on cooperation signed in Ankara today, Dodik said.

“The expectations of Bosnian side are high regarding the support to the construction of Sarajevo-Belgrade highway, and all those who were suspicious about it can be sure now that this project will be implemented and it is necessary for all of us to make efforts to make it happen,” he stressed, adding that none of these would be possible without Erdogan’s support, which he called “crucial.”

The two countries are not burdened with open issues, said the Presidency Chairman, noting that they agreed on a trilateral meeting between Bosnia, Turkey and Serbia, which, according to Dodik, should also be joined by Russia.

During the meeting with BiH’s collective head of state, Turkish President announced he would send a donation of 30,000 Covid-19 vaccines to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Besides the problems with the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines that Bosnia is experiencing, it appeared that the country has true friends like Turkey, Serbia and Slovenia, which made donations in vaccines for the Bosnian population, Dodik said.

“Erdogan’s care for everyone is the best example of how we should all behave in BiH trying to build a tolerant society,” he concluded.

Sefik Dzaferovic, the Presidency member, noted that the meeting only confirmed excellent relations with Turkey. He thanked the Turkish Presidency for the invitation and assessed the visit as “very important.”

The officials also discussed how to utilise in the best way the free trade agreement that was signed and ratified in the parliaments of both countries, and Erdogan stressed it was necessary to further develop the economic relations between Bosnia and Turkey.

“It is our goal to increase the trade exchange between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey to one billion dollars,” he added.

Erdogan also reiterated Turkey’s support to Bosnia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, “especially in NATO.”

“I believe the talks we had today will further strengthen the specific steps of our cooperation,” he added.

Three members of Bosnia’s Presidency, Milorad Dodik, Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic, were welcomed in Ankara with full military honours.