Representatives of the police bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) were, to say the least, surprised by the statement of Minister of Security of BiH Nenad Nesic two days ago when he said that security measures in our country were raised to a higher level due to fears of a possible spillover of the crisis from the Middle East.
As it was unofficially learned from one of the police agencies in BiH, although Nesic announced three days ago that the security level had been raised, the official dispatch from the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of the police agencies in BiH was received only yesterday, and yesterday’s date was also stated on it.
In the dispatch forwarded to the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), the Border Police of BiH, the Federal Ministry of the Internal Affairs, the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of the Republika Srpska (RS), the cantonal Ministries of the Internal Affairs and the Brcko District Police, it is stated that all police agencies within their jurisdiction and in the area in which they operate should increase security measures, including the presence of their members, in locations such as public facilities of the Jewish people, facilities of the State of Israel, as well as Palestinian facilities.
“Due to the new security situation in Europe and the world caused by the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East between the states of Israel and Palestine, it is necessary for you to take all measures and actions within your jurisdiction with the aim of preserving the safety of citizens and property with an increased presence of police officers in localities where facilities of importance for representatives of the Jewish community as well as the community of the State of Palestine in BiH are located,” it is stated in the dispatch, which is signed by the director of Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, Enes Karic.
Essentially, the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH requests that the presence of the police in the vicinity of facilities of importance to the Palestinian and Jewish communities be increased, which is an expected move in the current circumstances. But would Nesic’s announcement from three days ago about “raising the level of security to a higher level” serve to raise tensions in BiH, taking into account the specific situation in the country?
Nesic pointed out that the security situation in BiH remains good and that the security agencies in the country successfully performed their regular tasks. “We follow the events, both in the region and in the world, and we expect that no event will surprise us,” said the minister.
This statement comes at a time when the world public is facing growing challenges in the field of security, including terrorist threats. Speaking about the security situation in BiH, Nesic emphasized the examples of France and Austria, countries that have also raised the level of security due to the threat of terrorism.
However, the question arises whether such a statement by a high-ranking official such as the Minister of Security is justified in the context of the specific situation in BiH, which continues to face a number of internal challenges, including political divisions, ethnic tensions, and the lack of progressive reforms. In this context, “explosive” announcements about raising the security level due to global events can create additional tension, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
