Mrs Trump's Bosnian Shoemaker Denied Visa to US

Marinko Umicevic, technical director of Banja Luka's Bema shoe factory, said that he had sent a letter apologizing to Melania Trump because he will not be able to come to her husband's Washington inauguration on January 20 despite receiving an invitation from her.

"Everything was ready; tuxedo, bowtie, even gifts," Umicevic told a press conference on Sunday. He added that he will seek other ways to send prepared gifts to the First Couple.

"I will tell you what I bought. For Mr Trump, I bought 'priglavke' [traditional knitted slippers] with embroideries and a scarf with the flags of the RS and the local football club", he said.

"And for Mrs Trump, I bought a nightgown with traditional embroideries. A nice comfortable one, to remember me," Umicevic said.

He added that he had plans to do further shoe-related business with the Trump family.

"Trump's daughter from his first marriage has a shoe factory; I thought to arrange some business deal with her. A trip to America is long and expensive, I didn't want to go for nothing," Umicevic added.

Last August, while the American presidential race was still on and when most of the polls favoured Democrat Hillary Clinton, Bema sent Melania Trump two pairs of shoes designed by the factory's best designers: a pair of comfortable shoes with memory foam insoles and leather-made high heels.

While most Europeans seemed to root for Clinton in the campaign, most Serbs backed Trump because he has repeatedly called for America to put relations with Serbia's old ally, Russia, on a new footing.

Serbs also have a grudge against Clinton's husband, Bill, who was the [Democrat] US President in the 1990s when US-led NATO forces bombed Serbian positions in Bosnia, Kosovo and in Serbia itself.