Chairman of Council of Ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: To Open All Communication Routes for Better Economic Cooperation between Two Countries

“During the past several days we had a series of meetings with a number of officials, the Prime Minister of Serbia, top officials of the European Union, and today’s visit of our dear friend, Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan shows all our openness and proves that BIH is an open country ready to accept every dear guest and friend. With the Prime Minister of Turkey we have had an open discussion, and this marks a beginning of a frank and clear cooperation to address all topics openly and without prejudices”, Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda stated at a press conference following his meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 

The meeting in Sarajevo, attended by Deputy Chairman and Minister of Foreign Affairs of BIH dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, dealt with prospects of enhancement of a good bilateral cooperation and removal of difficulties both countries’ businessmen face when entering interesting markets.

“We agreed to open all communication routes for linking entrepreneurs and to enable them to work and contribute to development of the society. We welcome activities of Turkey and their role at regional meetings, especially with Serbia and Croatia, and we consider it necessary to include Bosnia and Herzegovina at these trilateral meetings, at which all outstanding issues will be addressed, thus further contributing to the stability of the region ”, Bevanda stated.

Chairman Bevanda said that he informed the Turkish Prime Minister on activities the Council of Ministers of BIH and Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH undertook over the past period for the financial stability of the state, referring to the Budget and Global Fiscal Framework adoption and continuation of IMF, World Bank and European Commission arrangements.

Chairman Bevanda said that the visit coincides with the local elections campaign in BIH, when again global issues and world considerations impose themselves as themes.

“I would ask our dear guest, as proven friend of BIH, for additional sensibility for overall BIH society of three constitutive peoples and citizens, in which every single word by top ranking political personalities has specific weight and significance. I thanked to Prime Minister Erdoğan for all the assistance and support provided for us to reach harmony in our state. However, I am fully aware that besides all the help from our dear friends from all sides, we, ourselves,  are the sole party that needs to make an agreement. In no way we should open the old wounds, but rather look forward for the sake of our children”, Chairman Bevanda said.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan assessed the meeting as very important, repeating that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s peoples are especially important for Turkey and Turkish people.

“Our aim is a single, strong Bosnia and Herzegovina in its togetherness. BIH peoples should not view each other with suspicion. We want BIH peoples to cherish mutual trust, and none should doubt in wholeness and integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, the Prime Minister of Turkey said, adding that the relations between BIH and Turkey will be continued with a full potential “in the direction they used to follow”, no matter of whether they are military, political, economic, historic or cultural relations.

Reminding of the current volume of trade and exchange between the two countries not being at a satisfactory level, Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan announced that such situation might be mended soon, offing a concrete cooperation in the economic field.

“I call upon Chairman Bevanda to come to Istanbul, where we will organise a business council for meeting of our business people to find ways for mutual cooperation, but also for their joint participation at third markets”, Erdoğan said, expressing his hope that the results of the up-coming local elections will enable further improvement of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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