EUFOR members have stepped up their presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in recent weeks, which, on several occasions, bothered officials from the BiH entity of Republika Srpska (RS). At the same time, members of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs, armed with weapons, in camouflage uniforms and combat vehicles, have been parading in the streets for weeks.
First, Sokolac Mayor Milovan Bjelica (SDS) recently appealed to EUFOR members not to approach schools, and then BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Zoran Tegeltija (SNSD) said the same. The reason – allegedly harassing the public and scaring children.
”As the Mayor of Sokolac, I would like to tell the members of the Romanian forces within EUFOR, who are in BiH with the task of monitoring the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, to perform these tasks unhindered and professionally. For these tasks, there is no need to be near schools, halls, and playgrounds. There is no threat to peace, security, or BiH from those places,” Bjelica stated.
It wasn’t long before Zoran Tegeltija (SNSD) spoke up as well.
”What is unacceptable to me personally is that EUFOR forces are patrolling in front of the public service, in front of the television. The army in front of the television, in principle, you know what it always means. We do not see the place or the role of EUFOR on sports and children’s playgrounds, but we respect the mandate it has as a guarantor of peace in BiH,” Tegeltija explained.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs, members of the entity police have been presenting to the citizens in recent weeks what they have at their disposal. They showed their weapons, ammunition, armored vehicles, and uniforms to the citizens and children of Istocno Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Doboj…
Interestingly, the director of the police, Sinisa Kostresevic, said that ”such events are very interesting for the younger population, especially children.”
Close to 2.000 students saw weapons, ammunition, Despot combat vehicles, and other equipment. And children are full of impressions.
Doboj teacher Marija Spasojevic told the media that the children were very excited and curious because they saw weapons and other equipment, and even the girls asked the police what the rifle was for and which one was the best. All this is completely contrary to the claims of politicians and their request for EUFOR troops.
EUFOR forces are present in BiH with the aim of operational support to the security forces in our country in order to ensure a stable environment for all citizens and in every part of BiH.
And the greatest instability in BiH has long been produced by the current regime in RS, which openly wants to overthrow the state of BiH by withdrawing competencies and laws, blocking institutions, announcing the formation of an entity army and intelligence service by dalliance with Moscow and blocking Euro-Atlantic integration.
Meanwhile, through its media, the RS government is fabricating falsehoods and selling them to citizens, from “EUFOR’s presence harassing citizens and children” to ”NATO’s plan to kidnap Milorad Dodik.”
