The cadet from Bosnia and Herzegovina who refused to shake hands with Austria’s Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner during the official ceremony welcoming new officers into the Austrian Armed Forces is Benjamin Fukelj from Sarajevo, according to unofficial sources from RTRS.
As reported by the Austrian publication Kurir, the incident occurred during a traditional ceremony, which is the highlight of the annual activities at the academy.
The cadet refused to shake Minister Tanner’s hand, citing his religious beliefs as the reason because she is a woman.
As a result, the cadet was immediately excluded from the remainder of the ceremony at the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt, and he was not presented with the traditional academy ring, as confirmed by Austria’s Ministry of Defense.
According to Austrian media, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Slaven Galić, had been informed in advance that the officer would not want to shake hands with the minister. Therefore, the cadet was not invited onto the stage. Minister Tanner expressed her dissatisfaction with the cadet’s actions, and Galić later issued an apology on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Austria has been training military personnel from Western Balkan countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro for years, with the aim of strengthening stability in the region.
Source: RTRS
