Although they express opposing views on almost every political issue – from BiH to global turmoil – Bakir Izetbegović and Milorad Dodik are united in their support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of Sunday's (May 14) election.
The leaders of Bosniaks and Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina called on voters of Balkan origin to vote for Erdogan.
The president of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) Izetbegović believes that the "vast majority" of Turkish citizens of Bosniak origin are aware of Erdogan's "epochal role" in the rise of Turkey "in every aspect".
"Such positioning of Turkey had a huge impact on the entire Muslim world, which is rapidly regaining self-confidence and affirming its own values," said Izetbegović, addressing the citizens of Turkey of Bosniak origin.
He noted that Bosniaks in BiH and Sandžak "especially bear witness to the friendship of the great leader Erdogan" who "fulfills the legacy of the late Alija Izetbegović, because he truly and brotherly helps Bosniaks and BiH".
The president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, emphasizes the role of the Turkish president "in preserving peace and security in the region." "He is one of the leaders with whom we share important positions, and we especially appreciate his position on respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Dodik.
He emphasizes Erdogan's "neutral attitude" in relation to the peoples of BiH as well as "support for the dialogue of domestic politicians, not imposing solutions and interfering in internal affairs", Dodik said, calling on people "originating from our areas" to vote for Erdogan.
They admire Erdogan because he is their role model
The Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo, Sead Turčalo, explains that both Izetbegović and Dodik see Erdogan as a "role model in politics".
"This may seem contradictory, especially in Dodik's case, given Erdogan's Islamic dimension and Dodik's obvious Islamophobia. However, this admiration is not necessarily rooted in a shared ideology, but rather in Erdogan's political style and success," Turčalo told DW.
He reminds that Erdogan's political model is based on a strong leadership that aspires to autocracy, rhetoric that emphasizes national interests and "a populist approach that appeals to a large part of the population."
"This kind of leadership is essentially attractive to politicians like Izetbegović and Dodik, who themselves exercise a significant degree of control in their political spheres," says Turčalo.
The professor from Sarajevo notes that Erdogan's approach could be in line with Izetbegović's and Dodik's goals. "Izetbegović, as a Bosniak leader, can appreciate Erdoğan's strong commitment to Muslim communities around the world, but also the frequent emphasis on special ties with BiH and Bosniaks, while Dodika is attracted to Erdogan's emphasis on national interests and often anti-Western stance," explains Turčalo.
The Dean of the FPN believes that the Balkans will remain one of the important areas for Turkish foreign policy. Even, he says, the victory of opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who is given good chances, would not change anything.
Because, in the opposition is the party of the former prime minister and head of diplomacy Ahmet Davutoglu, who, according to Turčal, "is known for his concept of strategic depth and during whose time Turkey was the most active in the area of the Western Balkans".
Connections between Izetbegović and Erdogan
It is difficult to assess whether Bosniaks or members of other peoples originating from the Balkans - whom Izetbegović and Dodik are urging to vote for Erdogan - could influence the outcome of the presidential elections in the country of about 85 million inhabitants.
According to official Turkish data, about two and a half million Bosniaks live in Turkey, although it is estimated that the number could be even higher. The authors of the book "Bosniaks in Turkey" Amir Hodžić and Mirsad Kalajdžić provide information about the six million Bosniaks who live in that country and who are emotionally attached to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The first president of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the founders of the SDA, Alija Izetbegović, as reported by the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, "entrusted the care of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Erdogan".
"He recognized in him a future strong leader and entrusted him with the care of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think that Erdogan carries that trust very well. Just look at this new action to build a road between Belgrade and Sarajevo," said Bakir Izetbegović, speaking about the positive effects of Erdogan's policy towards the Balkans and BiH.
Five years ago, Turkey proposed a road connection between the capitals of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, but it did not go far in Bosnia and Herzegovina, due to disagreements over the route of the road.
The Sarajevo media wrote critically about Ankara's relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, noting that, despite the good relations between Erdogan and the Izetbegović family, Turkey prefers to invest in Serbia rather than Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Lejla Ramić-Mesihović, director of the Foreign Policy Initiative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke to Radio Free Europe's "Most" about the relations between the SDA and Erdogan's AKP in 2017.
"The ties between the SDA and the AKP are primarily at the level of their leaders and they generally strengthen in the period when both parties need to mobilize votes during elections," said Ramić-Mesihović.
Presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey will be held on Sunday. If no presidential candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the second round of elections will be held on May 28.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
