Only malicious people criticize the upcoming gathering in Sarajevo at which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will address the Turkish diaspora living in Europe, the head of the Turkish-Bosnian Friendship Association "Bosfor”, Rizvan Halilovic, told N1.

Germany and The Netherlands have previously banned Erdogan’s campaigning on their territory but Bosnia has agreed to host the rally.  

The gathering has been criticized by many who fear Bosnia is sending the wrong message to the EU by facilitating a rally EU countries have refused to host.  

“Malicious people are always bothered by anything good happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Halilovic said.  

The gathering is part of Erdogan’s official working visit to Bosnia, during which he will meet with state officials. But it is also perceived as his pre-election rally and as such objected by many in Bosnia.  

Halilovic said that those who always want to produce a crisis should report to a clinic and not engage in political analysis.  

“Friends come to visit us, we criticize them, Arabs come here to invest, we make a fuss, I don’t know what we want,” Halilovic said.  

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic often visits Banja Luka without even announcing his arrival to state authorities in Sarajevo and Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic does the same when she visits western Mostar, he explained.