The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, addressed a roundtable held within the framework of the European Political Community, where he warned of the seriousness of hybrid threats and the need to strengthen democratic resilience across Europe.
The gathering was dedicated to the topic “Strengthening Democratic Resilience and Addressing Hybrid Threats”.
In his address, he emphasized that democracy today is not only threatened, but also directly attacked.
“Democracy today is not threatened, it is attacked. Planned. Organized. Openly”, said Bećirović.
He emphasized that undemocratic actors systematically undermine trust in institutions and democratic processes through hybrid actions, and warned that the destruction of states does not begin with weapons, but with propaganda.
“My country knows what it looks like when propaganda precedes aggression. We have learned from our own experience that the destruction of democracy and the state does not begin with explosions but with propaganda. It begins with lies and disinformation, and ends with violence”, he said.
Speaking about the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bećirović stated that the country is exposed to continuous hybrid threats aimed at destabilizing the constitutional order and blocking European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
According to him, these threats include cyber attacks, information manipulation, attempts to undermine institutions, as well as spreading distrust, fear and division among citizens.
He particularly warned of the intensification of hybrid activities during 2026, ahead of the general elections planned for October.
“Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are increasingly witnessing a combination of different tactics, from disinformation to cyber attacks,” he said, adding that the campaigns are also aimed at discrediting political actors, the misuse of artificial intelligence, the spread of false content and the strengthening of populist and Eurosceptic narratives.
Bećirović also pointed out that these activities are most often managed outside the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, referring to the European Parliament’s Report on BiH from 2025.
“The aforementioned report particularly highlights the malignant influence of the Russian Federation, which is exercised through political structures and the media space in the entity of Republika Srpska,” he said.
He added that the European Parliament had warned of the risk of Republika Srpska being used as a platform for hybrid activities and intelligence operations, not only against BiH but also against European Union member states.
In this context, he said that these risks should not be underestimated, emphasizing that Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans are one of the key places where Europe’s democratic resilience is being tested.
As one of the key responses to threats, Bećirović cited the need for NATO expansion to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“That would be arguably the strongest contribution to deterring both hybrid and conventional threats in this part of the European continent,” he said.
At the end of his address, he emphasized that strengthening democratic resilience requires a coordinated approach, including treating foreign interference as a security threat, strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, and ensuring the integrity of electoral processes.
“The European continent is once again faced with a choice. Either we will defend democratic values or we will watch them collapse. This is not the time for neutrality. Neutrality means complicity in the attack on democratic values,” concluded Bećirović.
He also said that Bosnia and Herzegovina remains firmly committed to strengthening democratic resilience and building a stable and secure Europe, Klix.ba writes.
