Savo Minić (SNSD), the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska and candidate for president of this entity, reacted to the decision of the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, to terminate the contracts of two members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina for glorifying the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.
In his reaction, Minić criticized Helez for this decision.
“The persecution of Serbs from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina is unacceptable,” wrote the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska.
However, he ignored the fact that the contracts of the members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina were not terminated because of their ethnic identity, but because of their public glorification of a convicted war criminal.
“A minister whose main preoccupation is spreading hatred towards the Serb people cannot present such actions as a struggle for justice,” Minić added.
To remind, glorification of war criminals is a criminal offense under the amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina imposed in 2021 by the former High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko.
In announcing the decision to terminate the contracts, Helez noted that the glorification of war criminals will not be tolerated in the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina as long as he is the Minister of Defense.
He also emphasized that the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the army of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“They protect all citizens, peace, and security, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. Our military must be an institution in which every citizen can have confidence, and an institution that respects victims, the law, and the values of peace,” he added.
