Turkey, by accepting the proposal to swap hosting of EYOWF with BiH, proved its friendship

Ambassador of Turkey to Sarajevo Cihad Erginay assessed that accepting the proposal made by Bosnia and Herzegovina  to swap hosting of the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, which was planned to be held in Sarajevo in 2017, with Turkey and to hold it in 2019, is one of the most beautiful and concrete examples of friendship between the two countries, Patria reports.

 Bosnia and Herzegovina informed the European Olympic Committees (EOC) that it would not be able to complete the necessary preparations in time for the organization of the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (EYOWF) planned to be held in Sarajevo and East Sarajevo in 2017, after which, at the proposal of the EOC, Turkey was offered to swap host countries. In the spirit of mutual assistance and cooperation, a positive response from Turkey followed to this official request, so that the EYOWF 2017 will be held in the city of Erzurum, while the host of the EYOWF 2019 will be Sarajevo and East Sarajevo.

In a statement issued by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Sarajevo regarding this decision, he emphasized that the organization of major events of this kind is of great importance for the promotion of any country, recalling the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina's prospects of completing the host preparations for 2017 were difficult, and by a joint decision of the city of Erzurum and the Turkish Olympic Committee, the offer to swap host countries was accepted. Ambassador Erginay added the following:

- This decision represents the most beautiful and most concrete example of friendship between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We are pleased that the relations and solidarity developing between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina in all fields continue and are also transferred to the area of sports and youth issues in the same way. In addition, Turkey will transfer its experiences to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period until 2019 and stand by it.

The European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, one of the most significant sports organizations for young athletes, involves around 1,500 competitors aged 14 to 18.