The Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) informed the public yesterday that from September 4th to 8th, a planned reconnaissance flight will be conducted over BiH within the framework of the “Open Skies” Agreement.
The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of BiH (AFBiH), in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH, and Sarajevo International Airport, will conduct a reconnaissance flight over the territory of BiH with members of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, the Czech Republic, and Sweden, in accordance with the provisions of the “Open Skies” international agreement.
Citizens are informed that this is an announced activity, during which the crew of the plane and the international inspectors will be joined by the team of the AFBiH and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH, and will be carried out on a leased plane of the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The exact time of implementation and the path of the reconnaissance flight will be agreed upon during the joint preparation, after the arrival of the delegation at the Sarajevo International Airport. The territory will be recorded with sensors certified in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement and after inspection by members of the AFBiH.
The “Open Skies” treaty is a security arrangement that enables all member countries to carry out announced, unarmed reconnaissance flights over the entire territory of the country that is the subject of the overflight, with the aim of providing data on military forces and activities. The purpose of the Agreement is to build and develop trust among the members.
BiH joined this Agreement in 2003. Since then, in cooperation with other members, it actively participated in the realization of reconnaissance flights, both over the territory of BiH and over the territory of other member countries, announced the Ministry of Defense of BiH.
E.Dz.
photo: Illustration