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Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic said Türkiye has emerged as a “superpower” in global politics, citing Ankara’s expanding diplomatic influence and mediation role.
Konakovic made the remarks during his annual press conference, where he reviewed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s foreign policy and recent regional developments.
He described relations with Türkiye as “fantastic” and thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for their engagement with the Western Balkans.
Referring to the second Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Balkan Peace Platform, hosted by Fidan in Istanbul, Konakovic said the gathering was successful and highlighted Türkiye’s growing international profile.
“Türkiye is a superpower,” he said. “Following developments in Syria and the region, Türkiye has fully come to the forefront on the international stage and has become one of the United States’ most important partners.”
Konakovic said the meeting underscored Ankara’s commitment to the region.
“The fact that Fidan organized this event and that President Erdogan, despite his intense agenda, took the time to meet with us and address each country individually clearly shows the importance Türkiye attaches to the Western Balkans,” he said. “Türkiye has good relations with all countries and is a very effective mediator in these processes.”
Responding to a question from journalists, Konakovic said Bosnia and Herzegovina plans to introduce visa requirements for citizens of one country this year but stressed that Türkiye would not be affected.
“This will not be Türkiye. I do not see this as possible during my term, and this issue will not affect me,” he said.
Konakovic also said Türkiye invests more in Bosnia and Herzegovina than it does in Serbia, adding that the scale of investment further strengthens bilateral ties.
Fidan on Friday hosted the second foreign ministers’ meeting of the Balkan Peace Platform in Istanbul, according to Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Fidan held separate bilateral talks with his counterparts from Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania.
“We are in agreement that the platform, which we brought to life under the leadership of our country, provides an important framework that strengthens regional ownership in the Balkans, deepens dialogue and produces concrete areas of cooperation,” Fidan said in a post on the social media platform X.
He said Türkiye aims to advance a results-oriented and inclusive mechanism and will continue contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the Balkans while leading initiatives focused on the region’s shared future.
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