Bosnia has been on edge all week ahead of the country's first ever gay festival, which begins tomorrow.

Sarajevo, the capital, has been littered with homophobic posters as of late and nationalist groups are promising violence against attendants. A number of media types have come out in support of the homo happenings – and are receiving death threats for their trouble.

Three radio stations and an independent weekly magazine were receiving threat letters for offering "unbiased and ethical" reports about the four-day Sarajevo Queer festival which is to open on Wednesday, [a journalists'] association statement said.

"Letters containing open and very serious threats are an attack on personal safety of the employees of these media outlets as well as safety of their family members and their property," it said.

Police assured worried citizens they would be in full effect to protect this "high risk" festival.