The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, held extraordinary consultations today with the Military Attaché of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republic of Serbia, Brigadier Srđan Čavić, regarding the incident caused by the Minister of Defense of Serbia, Bratislav Gašić, during the celebration of the Day of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This move followed an event that occurred during the celebration of the Day of the 3rd Infantry (Republika Srpska) Regiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Day of the Army of Republika Srpska, when the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Serbia, sitting during the singing of the anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina, showed disrespect for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which seriously violated the principle of mutual respect for the sovereignty and dignity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Minister Helez conveyed to Brigadier Čavić the circumstances surrounding the event, referring to the Law on Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as international law regulating the conduct of foreign officials during official visits. Such action is considered to be a violation of the norms and customs of international relations. In particular, Article 3 of the Law on the Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina emphasizes the importance of preserving the dignity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina in all military and diplomatic interactions.
“Minister Gašić, with his behavior, violated the protocol of mutual respect between BiH and Serbia, and violated international norms and customs. In this regard, I have issued an order to suspend activities from the Plan of Bilateral Military Cooperation with the Republic of Serbia, except for the training courses that have already begun,” Helez emphasized.
The BiH Military Attaché in the Republic of Serbia, Brigadier Srđan Čavić, received strict instructions to send a verbal note to the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia, conduct the necessary consultations with relevant institutions and competent authorities, and to inform the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina about the actions taken, all with the aim of preserving the dignity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and preserving diplomatic relations.
“I have given clear guidelines that the verbal note, which the Embassy of BiH in the Republic of Serbia will deliver to the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia, should clearly express concern and request an official explanation and statement on the incident,” emphasized Helez.
Finally, Minister Helez specifically emphasized that it is necessary to prepare a report on all relevant circumstances of the incident, including possible motives, course of events, participants and broader security implications for the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to hold consultations with allied and partner military representatives.
Every action and communication should be documented and submitted to the Ministry of Defense of BiH without delay, the Public Relations Office of the MoD BiH announced.
