Bosnia anticipates Turkish President Erdoğan's visit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's forthcoming visit to Bosnia will "crown" relations between the two countries, the Bosniak member of the presidential council said.

Bakir Izetbegovic, who shares the presidency with Croat and Serb colleagues, said economic ties between Turkey and Bosnia would be at the fore of discussions during the May 20 visit.

"Erdoğan's forthcoming official visit to Bosnia will be the crown of two relationships," Izetbegovic told Anadolu Agency.

The Turkish president will also meet Mladen Ivanic and Dragan Covic, the other two members of the rotating presidency.

Erdoğan has previously visited Bosnia as prime minister in 2004. Since then, relations between the two countries have blossomed, Izetbegovic claimed.

Izetbegovic, who leads the Party of Democratic Action and whose father was Bosnia's first president, said he wanted further investment in Bosnia by Turkish companies and for more Bosnian exports to Turkey.

The agricultural sector was one area where investment could prove particularly fruitful, he added, pointing out that around half of Bosnia's land is uncultivated.

"We have clean rivers about 50,000 kilometers in length with a high flow rate," he said in an interview last week. "They can be used for fish farms or energy facilities. Besides this, there are coal mines, woods and mineral resources and an educated young population."

Turning to the forthcoming Turkish general election, Izetbegovic voiced his support for the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, which Erdoğan led before becoming president.

"This team has achieved a miracle in Turkey," he said.