Milorad Dodik, head of the Republika Srpska, the Serbian entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, threw his support behind President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of May 14 elections in Türkiye. Dodik called on Turkish voters to support the incumbent president in the tight election race.

Dodik is the latest top politician from the Balkans to endorse Erdoğan, who has pursued a balanced diplomacy of peace in the region in the past two decades. Earlier, Bakir Izetbegovic, former head of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, also voiced his endorsement for Erdoğan, along with North Macedonian party leaders and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

He told Srpska Republika News Agency (SRNA) on Wednesday that Erdoğan was a man of peace and dialogue "firmly committed to stabilizing the situation in the region and the world." He hailed Erdoğan’s stance on respect for the Dayton Peace Accords and the Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik also praised Erdoğan’s friendly ties with Bosnia-Herzegovina, "without taking sides" and support for dialogue in the country.

"I call on Turkish citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina origins to vote for Erdoğan in the elections. He has proven his leadership in the past. Türkiye is now a developed and modern country thanks to his patriotism and resolve," he said.

The Balkans is a priority for Türkiye not only for political, economic and geographical reasons but also due to its historical, cultural and human ties with the region. Erdoğan embarked on a tour of the Balkan countries last year, from Bosnia-Herzegovina to Croatia, to boost ties.