Türkiye and Bosnia-Herzegovina share the most similarities with a common Ottoman heritage, according to a local religious leader.
"Türkiye is the closest country to us. We are part of a common heritage, the Ottoman culture. We have excellent relations. We always receive support and understanding from the Presidency of Religious Affairs," Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic told Anadolu Agency (AA) Wednesday.
Kavazovic highlighted the importance of being friends with a country like Türkiye and said that Türkiye's foreign policy has a balancing role in the Western Balkans
"We feel safe with Türkiye. I think everyone in the world wishes to be friends with Türkiye. We also have spiritual ties with the Turkish people," he said.
The two countries often tout deep-rooted history, tradition and culture that bind them together. Bosnia-Herzegovina sent rescuers and donated aid during the deadly February earthquakes last year, while its presidential council was among the first state officials to visit Türkiye for solidarity. Turkish and Bosnian private companies cooperate closely on energy and defense, too.
The countries also endorse one another’s accession into several international blocs, including Türkiye’s EU candidacy and Bosnia-Herzegovina’s NATO and EU applications.
The Balkans, in general, are a priority for Türkiye not only from the political, economic and geographical perspectives but also due to its historical, cultural and human ties with the region.
In recent years, the Balkans region has become an attractive market for Turkish investors with its qualified workforce, business-friendly investment environment, and tax and financial incentives.
The region is often described as Türkiye's gateway to the EU, thanks to its geographical location.
Gaza conflict
Speaking about the Israel-Palestine conflict, Kavazovic said humanity is failing in Gaza.
"History will not forget those who remained silent about what happened in Gaza. Gaza is undoubtedly a great scar on the history of humanity. We are not in a position to stop the atrocities committed in Gaza. Talking about atrocities after Gaza will be much more serious and different ... The most surprising thing is the silence. The powers that could stop the war and civilian deaths in Gaza are silent," he said.
According to Kavazovic, what is happening in Gaza today reminds Bosnians of the Srebrenica genocide that took place in 1995 during the Bosnian War.
"It has been proven in the courts that what happened in Srebrenica was genocide, but what happened in Gaza is nothing but genocide. I appreciate the genocide case filed against Israel by South Africa. South Africa has also experienced many events in its history. This should be a moral lesson for the Islamic world because no such initiative has come from any Muslim country," said Kavazovic.
Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, killing at least 25,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 64,110 others. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli war has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while more than half of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.