If you do not have adequate protection against cyber threats, everything is at risk, from government structures to private businesses. This is how Selmo Cikotic, former Minister of Security of BiH and professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo, commented.
“The state’s ability to respond to that threat is very important. I think NATO recognizes that in the context of the process in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), but also in the wider area,” points out Cikotic.
For the fight against cyber threats, help is coming as part of the NATO package, which was confirmed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Elmedin Konakovic, on February 20th.
The package was approved at the ministerial meeting of NATO member countries in Brussels on February 14th and 15th, and includes “nine aid projects for the defense system and three aid projects for the security system of BiH”, according to the Ministry of Defense of BiH.
The decision on aid was made in June of last year during the NATO summit in Madrid, and it concerns projects worth tens of millions of euros.
What kind of help is it?
BiH Defense Minister Zukan Helez could not talk about the specific details of the aid, because most of the information is secret.
“The details have not yet been agreed upon. It is approved aid in that amount. Later, it will be processed what would be best,” Helez said.
Where can the threat come from?
“It is only a question of the motives and interests of the one who threatens any cyber element within BiH. And cyber means all devices connected to the network, and can include both private and state, essential and non-essential databases, systems, processes, devices , memory,” said Selmo Cikotic.
Russian influence in cyberspace
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO has been warning that BiH is one of the countries most at risk of Russian influence, including possible cyber attacks.
The Russian “embrace” is expanding towards Moldova, Georgia and BiH, as places that should distract attention from the invasion of Ukraine, political scientist Harun Cero told, Slobodna Evrope reports.
E.Dz.
