Committee in the Election Staff of Dr. Mustafa Cerić: Build a Partnership Between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey

The Foreign Policy Committee of the Election Staff of Dr. Mustafa Cerić, independent candidate for the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency, issued a statement today on the occasion of the mandate of the new Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and expectations in relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, as its traditional friend and ally.

- The peoples of the Balkans expect Turkey to continue pursuing a peaceful and constructive policy in the region, Europe, and the world. Turkey is not new to Europe. It has been there for a very long time, but what is new is the European Union's attitude towards Turkey. Turkey is the only remaining European country with serious, sustainable, and demographic growth. For us in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is very instructive and inspiring that Turkey is one of the most successful Muslim countries of the modern era, which has never based its growth on the so-called rentier economy – exporting energy and other natural resources, but on work and entrepreneurship – the statement says, as reported by Patria.

The deep connection between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, dating back to the Ottoman Empire period, was also highlighted. With today's Turkey, modern and Kemalist, the Committee believes, BiH has several links.

- A democratic state, rule of law, civic participation, gender equality, universal education and healthcare, etc. Today, the states of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey have more than solid political, economic, and all kinds of cultural relations. Unfortunately, Bosnia is nowhere near the impressive results achieved by Turkey. Moreover, Bosnia and Herzegovina faces serious challenges of demographic and economic growth, social justice, and political-legal order. For all these reasons, Bosnia and Herzegovina turns to friends, such as Turkey, for new, different, and more constructive forms of future cooperation – the Committee states.

The Committee believes that it is the duty of politics and conscientious citizens of BiH to take their destiny into their own hands and to make their country a subject, rather than an object, of international relations.

- We want to complement, not substitute, our European orientation with an approach towards other regions and countries. Our difficult situation and moral obligation dictate this, and the spring protests across Bosnia and Herzegovina warn us that there is no time to wait, and that there may not be another opportunity – the Committee announced, stating that BiH and Turkey can jointly approach third markets, especially those in the Arab world, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

- May relations between Bosnia and Turkey in the future be based on a partnership of mutual respect, mutual cooperation, and friendship – concluded the Foreign Policy Committee of the Election Staff of Dr. Mustafa Cerić, as reported by Patria.