Bosnia welcomes Serbian consent on opening of consulate

BELGRADE, Serbia

Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday welcomed Serbia's decision of giving consent on the opening of the Bosnian consulate in its Novi Pazar city.

Bosnian Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic described the decision as an opportunity to improve bilateral relations.

"I welcome yesterday's decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia on giving consent for the opening of the Consulate General of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Novi Pazar. The opening of a new diplomatic and consular mission of our country is an opportunity to improve relations," said Turkovic on social media.

Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sefik Dzaferovic talked with Mayor of Novi Pazar Nihat Bisevac about opening the consulate.

On that occasion, Dzaferovic said the opening of the consulate will improve the cooperation between Bosniaks from Bosnia and Bosniaks living in other countries.

At a meeting with Ambassador of Serbia to Bosnia Aleksandar Djordjevic, Turkovic said the consulate would mean the improvement of political and economic relations, which was also a topic discussed with Serbia's former Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will be the second country to open a diplomatic mission in the southwestern city of Novi Pazar.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced during an official visit to Serbia in 2019 that Turkey would open a consulate general in the city.

Novi Pazar is the largest city in the Sandzak region of Serbia. It was established between 1459-1461 by Ishakoglu Isa Bey, the founder of Bosnia's capital Sarajevo and North Macedonia's capital Skopje.

It is a beautiful sample of inter-religious harmony, with 82% Muslim population.