EUFOR punished the soldier who attended the commemoration of January 9 in Milići, and after conducting an investigation, they determined that it was best to return him home from the operation zone.
“After a careful examination of the facts, according to which a member of one of the Liaison and Observation Teams (LOT) was tasked with monitoring and observing the events of January 9, it was determined that the behavior of this soldier was not in accordance with the principles that EUFOR adheres to. In order to maintain of the highest standards of integrity and impartiality, EUFOR took measures that resulted in the return of this member home from the area of operations,” said EUFOR.
Earlier, we pointed out the fact that an EUFOR soldier attends a memorial service for fallen Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) fighters on the occasion of January 9 in Milići, which “raised dust” in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At the time, EUFOR justified itself by saying that it was carrying out regular local surveillance activities.
“We can say that the soldier who appeared in the picture is a member of the liaison team with the local community and authorities. One of the regular tasks of the members of that team is to observe local events in order to gain awareness of the needs and concerns of the people. A member of our team attended this ceremony to observe her,” EUFOR said on January 11.
However, they subsequently reconsidered their position and decided to send him home from the mission.
“EUFOR emphasizes that the integrity and impartiality of its mission are of the utmost importance. We remain committed to creating an environment of trust, respect and adherence to the highest ethical standards,” EUFOR said in their latest statement.
