Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Željko Komšić said today that it must be determined immediately who allowed members of the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) to enter the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, after it was announced that soldiers from Serbia marched through Prijedor on the occasion of the anniversary of the Battle of Goats.
"The first and basic question is who approved the entry of members of the Armed Forces into BiH? The Presidency of BiH did not do it. Did the Ministry of Defense do it? That must be determined immediately. If it was not the Ministry of Defense either, then it is a classic act of aggression." said Komšić, Sarajevo media reported.
BiH Minister of Defense Zukan Helez told Sarajevo's "Avaz" that the Ministry of Defense did not give any consent, adding that, in addition to EUFOR, he also requested internal checks within the Ministry, that "someone did not do something on their own, which would entailed drastic punishments".
"We will clean everything up. Whoever is found to be at fault will be held accountable in accordance with the law," said Helez.
According to the information of the daily "Avaz", the Border Police of BiH, the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH and, allegedly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) were informed about the arrival of members of the Security Service, purely on protocol, without any approval.
"Avaz" states that the authorities of Serbia announced to the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina the entry of cadets of the Armed Forces Academy as part of the commemoration of the Battle of Kozara, by delivering their passports.
"Supposedly, no one had any idea that it was about soldiers - elders. In other words, it was not known that, as our sources claim, they would wear military uniforms," the text states.
"Avaz" announced that members of the Armed Forces were also in Bratunac yesterday, where the suffering of the Serbs of the middle Podrinja and Brčko during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was commemorated.
Beta Agency reports that the cadets of the Military Academy from Serbia paraded through Prijedor today as part of the commemoration of the Battle of Kozara, and that yesterday they were also in Bratunac, where the suffering of the Serbs of central Podrinje and Birček during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was commemorated.
After the march through Prijedor, the army continued its parade towards Kozara, and as reported by the RS Radio-television (RTRS), the citizens of Prijedor greeted them with applause.
RS President Milorad Dodik shared the RTRS report on social networks with the comment: "Finally."
Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina: The cadets of the Military Academy of Serbia, who are not soldiers, but students, stayed
BiH Minister of Defense Zukan Helez stated that cadets of the Military Academy from Serbia were staying in that country, who, as he said, were not real soldiers, but students.
"It's about cadets, it's not the army, it comes under education. An officer can come with them, but it's a professor. Until he graduates and gets the rank, a cadet is not a soldier," said Helez from the Sarajevo portal Klix (klix .ba).
He added that the RS Ministry of Labor and Veterans and Disability Protection "found some legal basis to invite them as students, and then present it as the army".
The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina pointed out that the cadets from Serbia could not enter Bosnia and Herzegovina if someone did not invite them, stressing that it was not done by the Ministry headed by him.
"We did not invite them, the Ministry of Defense of BiH has nothing to do with this and this is not in the plan of military bilateral cooperation between BiH and Serbia," Helez said.
Bonus video:
