With their professionalism, dedication and knowledge, members of the Armed Forces of BiH (AFBiH) have proven over the past 20 years that they are an irreplaceable factor and partner to citizens and civilian structures, and that they are the best part of Bosnian and Herzegovina society, said the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zukan Helez on the occasion of December 1, the Day of the Armed Forces of BiH, which this year marks its 20th anniversary.
At today’s press conference, the Minister of Defense of BiH Zukan Helez summarized the most important achievements of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of BiH in the past year, assessing that significant progress has been made in several areas, especially in modernization, international cooperation and strengthening of personnel capacities.
Helez emphasized that one of the most significant steps this year is the establishment of the reserve composition of the AFBiH, an obligation defined in the Law on Defense from 2003. The project is in its final phase and, according to him, will significantly improve the operational readiness of the AFBiH.
He emphasized the adoption of the Individual Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP) as an important step towards strengthening cooperation with NATO.
“Currently, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the closest to NATO membership compared to all other countries in the MAP,” said Helez.
He also noted that, after almost two decades, a compromise was reached on the development of a new Rulebook on the internal organization of the Ministry of Defense, which he assessed as an important step in the functional strengthening of the system.
Speaking about modernization, Helez recalled that notable results in capital investments have been achieved in the past period. He stated that with the support of the German Government, funds were provided for the continuation of the procurement of uniforms, and through an agreement on military-financial cooperation with the Government of Turkey, KIRPI II armored personnel carriers and the Kangal anti-drone system were purchased.
“We expect the delivery of several more such vehicles and equipment and various air defense systems soon,” said the Minister of Defense of BiH.
Helez also highlighted the implementation of the Ministry of Defense’s tranche of 16,740,000 KM for the procurement of helicopters as part of a multi-year project, with the strong support of the US Government. In addition, he added that a training program for a new generation of AFBiH pilots is being implemented in cooperation with the USA and Turkey.
Infrastructure projects have been further intensified, the minister said, particularly highlighting the assistance and support of Germany. He stated that the value of the works implemented so far exceeds five million euros and that funds for the continuation of investments in 2026 in the amount of around seven million euros have been secured.
Helez confirmed that the third tranche of EU financial support of around 15 million euros from the EPF fund is expected soon, after two previous payments of 10 million euros each.
“Our goal is to use these funds to additionally equip the Light Infantry Battalion Group,” he said.
Among other things, Helez particularly emphasized the importance of the NATO assistance package – DCB, thanks to which, as he said, the operational capability of the Armed Forces of BiH has been significantly improved.
Special attention, said the Minister of Defense of BiH, is devoted to the rejuvenation of personnel. This year, around 1,800 new professional military personnel were recruited, and the renewal process was additionally strengthened by the recruitment of two generations of soldiers. A significant part of the non-commissioned officers and officers has also been rejuvenated.
Educational programs have continued both in the country and abroad, with, as he stated, currently 35 cadets being educated in ten foreign countries.
In the part of his presentation dedicated to Euro-Atlantic integration, Helez reminded that BiH submits a Reform Program to NATO every year. He noted that for the current year, the document has already been approved by domestic institutions and that it will be sent to Brussels for consideration and adoption by the end of the year.
Helez also reminded that the Armed Forces of BiH, with their participation for more than two decades, have made a great contribution to efforts to preserve peace in the world.
“This has been recognized by our partners in NATO and the EU, who value BiH as a country ready to actively participate in ensuring peace and stability in the world. We are currently participating in the EU mission in the Central African Republic with three members,” said Helez.
In this context, he said that discussions are currently underway regarding the possible participation of members of the Armed Forces of BiH in the peacekeeping mission in Gaza, but that he cannot reveal more details at the moment because the discussions are still ongoing.
The Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of BiH, Lieutenant General Gojko Knežević, also addressed the media, reminding them that the beginning of next year will mark two years since he took over the duty of Chief of the Joint Staff, when he defined four key priorities.
As he said, the first priority was related to preserving the operational capabilities and capacities of the Armed Forces of BiH to carry out specific tasks, assessing that a lot has been done in terms of this priority.
He stated that this year, more than 12 percent of professional soldiers, more than 8 percent of non-commissioned officers and more than 10 percent of officers were replaced through the rejuvenation process. According to him, these results represent a significant step forward in strengthening human resources.
He particularly emphasized the importance of cooperation with EUFOR forces.
“What I also want to emphasize is the exceptionally good cooperation with EUFOR forces, with whom we undergo certain types of training, but also exercises,” said Knežević, highlighting some of the exercises such as “Combined Response” and “Quick Response”.
Speaking about upcoming obligations, Knežević reminded that at the end of next year, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina expects a demanding NATO assessment of NEL2 units as part of the light infantry battalion group.
“We sincerely hope that, taking into account the lessons learned from the exercise we conducted during this year, we will meet the standards to pass this NATO assessment positively next year,” he said.
The second priority relates to improving the living and working conditions of members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina at military locations. In this regard, Knežević expressed satisfaction with the results so far, but emphasized that this is a long-term process that requires large financial investments. Currently, as he stated, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are located in 63 locations, although the defense review envisaged 57 of them.
The third priority, as he said, includes improving internal trust within the commands and units of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to him, certain progress has been made in this area, but he clearly stated that there is a need for more intensive work.
“The Armed Forces are a multi-ethnic institution and these internal relations are important for the general achievement of the set goals and results,” he emphasized.
When asked about the fourth priority, which refers to strengthening regional bilateral military cooperation, Knežević said that more can and must be done in this area, especially in simplifying joint engagement procedures during natural disasters and accidents, which, as he emphasized, are increasingly frequent.
Knežević said that the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to work on improving operational capabilities, personnel strengthening and regional cooperation in the coming period, as these are key prerequisites for an efficient response to security challenges, BHRT writes.
