The delegation of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, led by Prime Minister Nezir Pivić, visited the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the second largest business association in the world with over 800,000 members, where they met with the vice president of this association, Mehmet Develioglu, the president of the Board of Directors, Israfil Kurulay, and the deputy general secretary, Ozkan Toker. (Ozcan Toker).
The delegation of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton included the Ministers of Economy, Samir Šibonjić, Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Jasmin Čajić, and Finance, Dženan Čišija.
Prime Minister Pivic thanked the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce for its efforts to strengthen economic cooperation between the Republic of Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially for its contribution to the revival of the General BH Fair ZEPS, which was renewed last year after a break of several years with the partnership of Turkey and the participation of a large number of exhibitors from that country. He especially thanked the president of this association, Šekib Avdagić, originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who this year received the public recognition of the Zenica-Doboj Canton Plaque for his contribution to strengthening economic cooperation.
– I am proud that we have a strong partner like the Republic of Turkey, and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has special merits for strengthening economic cooperation, which is getting better. Trade between the two countries is on the rise, and I am sure that with this strengthening of ties, it will continue to grow – said Prime Minister Pivić.
The cooperation so far has resulted in an increase of trade exchange more than 30 times, which this year amounts to about 1.2 billion dollars, with an increase in exports from Bosnia and Herzegovina of about 52 million dollars. The common goal is an additional increase in trade above 2 billion dollars.
– We want to direct the traditionally good relations towards additional strengthening of economic cooperation. We want to take advantage of a number of advantages that Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Zenica-Doboj Canton offer, and resources and hardworking workers are the biggest advantage of our country – said Šibonjić.
The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce marked the renewed ZEPS fair last year and this year, and is already preparing to appear at the ZEPS 2026 fair, announcing the arrival of a large number of exhibitors and an exclusive fair performance.
On this occasion, Minister Dženana Čišija emphasized the importance of exchange of students, as well as high school students, so that our students learn about the possibilities of studying in Turkey at their prestigious universities, but also the possibility of holding joint conferences and other forms of cooperation at this level.
The delegation of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton is in Turkey, where it participated in the International Tourism Fair in Izmir, where the Tourist Board of Zenica-Doboj Canton also presented itself this year.
