The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zukan Helez and the head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johann Sattler, agreed today in Sarajevo on the dynamics of the delivery of new donated vehicles for the needs of the demining battalion of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will be delivered by the end of the year, the Ministry of Defense announced.
At the meeting, it was stated that the cooperation of the Ministry of Defense in the Council of Ministers with EU institutions brings great benefits for the defense institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The EU is helping to a great extent to strengthen the capacities of the Armed Forces of BiH. We are especially grateful for the financial assistance of 20 million euros to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces in the field of demining,” Helez said.
He pointed out the importance of the continuation of the “Althea” mission and the role of EUFOR in preserving the security of the environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Helez thanked Sattler, who is also the EU’s special representative, for helping to speed up the process of ratifying the IPA Three Agreement, which exempts the payment of VAT on donated equipment.
Satler thanked Bosnia and Herzegovina for its support in the ongoing efforts to recover from the floods in Slovenia through the first mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, but also warned of the delay in the adoption of essential reforms in accordance with 14 key EU priorities, including the package of laws awaiting adoption in To the Council of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
