Izetbegović, Dodik and Nikolić Lead States with Religious Romanticism, That Is a Harmful Sycophantic Policy

Director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Ljubljana Dr. Zijad Bećirović commented for the Patria news agency on the meeting between the presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

- I think it is an exaggeration when the Putin-Erdogan meeting is assessed as historic. Both nations, Russians and Turks, are mythical nations and often bring emotions instead of reason into their judgments. It was precisely reason that prevailed when it comes to this meeting.

Simply put, both presidents are forced to cooperate, because both states and both presidents find themselves in an unenviable situation. The states are neighbors and are dependent on each other, therefore on cooperation, says Bećirović.  

His view is that the Putin-Erdogan meeting will not reflect on relations in the world.

- Let us take just the example of resolving the war in Syria. The key players for resolving the issue of Syria are the USA and Saudi Arabia on one side, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other.

Russia is under open sanctions from the West, while Turkey is being scrutinized and is under a kind of silent sanctions. The meeting will not lead to any strategic geopolitical upheavals. Although Turkey wants to become a member of the Eurasian Union, it cannot do so while it is a member of NATO. It is the largest common market in the world. On the other hand, Turkey's membership in NATO is a guarantee of its territorial integrity.

Turkey is a very security-vulnerable state, as is Russia. The Caucasus, which in geopolitical and security analyses is called the "belly of Russia," is crucial for the stability and territorial integrity of Russia. Here Turkey can be useful to Russia.

Besides the so-called TurkStream, there are numerous economic reasons for cooperation. However, we must not forget that Turkey has been strongly integrated into NATO since 1951 and is an important Western ally, which it will remain in the future, especially with the USA. An intensification of cooperation between Russia, Turkey, and Iran is to be expected, emphasizes Bećirović.

Russia and Turkey, but also other states, our interlocutor reminds us, have their exponents in the Balkans and Bosnia and Herzegovina through the so-called Orthodox and Muslim elements.

- Some gullible politicians in the Balkans think they can lead their states through religious or national romanticism. States have their strategic state interests, and religion is from time to time (mis)used to achieve certain goals or create an environment for achieving such goals.

The best examples here are Bakir Izetbegović and Milorad Dodik in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Serbia primarily Tomislav Nikolić, but also a considerable number of others. Such an approach is already costing the states of the region, because it is a sycophantic, irresponsible, harmful romanticist policy. This is best illustrated by the fact that Turkey's strategic interest in the Balkans is the Republic of Serbia, not Bosnia and Herzegovina, concludes Bećirović.