The reserve composition of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) is ready – at least on paper. The rulebook on its formation is finished, and soon a pilot project for the first reservists of the state army will start. While some see the move as necessary, others believe that BiH’s priority should be a modern Armed Forces, capable of responding to all security challenges.
The entity Republika Srpska (RS) has its own reserve composition, and the entity vice-president Davor Pranjic put the stamp on its formation. It is a means of intra-political mobilization of the pro-Russian actor Milorad Dodik, who, focused on the Army of Serbia, watches Vucic’s back, while at the same time, through his cadres, undermines the AFBiH. But how and when will the state Minister of Defence Zukan Helez (SDP) stamp the reserve composition of the AFBiH?
“This is in the final phase, and there is no turning back. We will have a reserve composition. This is not an illegal act or directed against someone. These are also NATO standards,” says Helez.
It is a necessary security response whose goal is to fill the AFBiH with 5.000 new reservists. The plan for how to realize this is in the final phase, and it begins with a pilot project. Funds have been secured, Minister Helez assures, but the question is whether this move will also be an additional alibi for secessionists who illegally formed an entity reserve composition to further block?
“As for the atmosphere, it is not at all conducive to forming a reserve composition. Due to obstructions from RS, even the regular composition is difficult to finance, and there would be no funds for reserve units. The problem with recruiting reservists is that we do not have conscription, and I do not know from where the reservists would be selected,” emphasizes military analyst Djuro Kozar.
Military analyst Hamza Visca believes that it is still only a dead letter on paper.
“The then Bosniak policy accepted that, true – I don’t know what the arguments for it were, that the replacement for serving military service would be a reserve composition. It is especially illogical why, with the adoption of the Defence Law, the complete set of laws and by-laws was not resolved in a package immediately, because certainly today it is very hard to imagine,” says former Deputy Minister of Defence of BiH Sead Jusic.
Modernize and reorganize the existing Armed Forces, or start with reservists against those who, for years, have been weakening the power of the state army through the budget. Thus, it is controversial that the budget foresees an allocation of 28 million BAM for this purpose, while neighbours, and Europe as well, are strengthening their defence forces.
“When I said that we would procure the most modern Kirpi 2 carriers, they said I was babbling, dreaming, and they arrived to us. And we will procure more. They also mocked the story about helicopters, and we signed the contract, and production of the first two helicopters is starting,” says Helez.
“More attention should be paid to air defence, unmanned systems and aircraft, long-range artillery, and electronic warfare. If we want to do that, then we must sit down and change the structure of the Armed Forces,” concludes Visca.
Although the idea of a reserve composition has existed since 2009, the first calls for reservists, primarily retired soldiers but also civilians without military experience, are expected next year.”, Federalna writes.
