Turkish Foreign Ministry calls for dialogue in Bosnia amid political crisis
Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler speaking during his visit the Head of the Turkish Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. in September 13, 2024. (Photo via Turkish MoD)
The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed “deep concern” over recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina following a court ruling against Milorad Dodik, president of the Serb Republic entity, emphasizing the need for dialogue to maintain stability in the Balkan nation.
In a written statement, the ministry reaffirmed Türkiye’s “strong support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” while stressing that “peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina can only be maintained through prudent and measured action.”
The ministry called for avoiding “unilateral actions and rhetoric that could undermine stability in the country,” highlighting the importance of “seeking solutions to problems through dialogue and compromise.”
The statement comes after a Bosnian court sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from political activities for six years for “disrespecting decisions of the Office of the High Representative (OHR),” the international body overseeing the implementation of the peace agreement that ended Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war.
Türkiye pledged to “continue to provide all kinds of support for the peace and prosperity of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina” in the coming period, as it has done in the past.
Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two autonomous entities—the Serb Republic and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina—established under the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement following the Bosnian War.
