Erdogan holds controversial election rally in Bosnia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today addressed thousands of expatriate Turks in Sarajevo at his only election rally outside Turkey after other European countries banned such events.

The Bosnian capital was chosen for the event -- ahead of Ankara's presidential and parliamentary elections next month -- after European Union states such as Germany, Austria and the Netherlands barred Turkish politicians from electioneering in their countries, stoking tensions between Ankara and Brussels.

Turkey is scheduled to go the polls on June 24, with three million expatriate Turks allowed to vote, including 1.4 million in Germany.

Several thousand people, according to an AFP reporter, converged on Sarajevo's largest sports venue, Zetra, where the rally was held.

Many of the participants, who arrived from several European countries, including Germany, Austria, Denmark and France, were wearing scarves and banners carrying pictures of the Turkish leader, and waving Turkish flags. Giant billboards welcomed Erdogan in Turkish and Bosnian.