President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik stated that military cooperation with Serbia and neighboring countries will continue and that Minister of Defense in the Council of Ministers Zukan Helez cannot halt this process with his unilateral decisions. This statement comes in response to Helez’s announcement that he is terminating the Military Cooperation Agreement with Serbia unless Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić apologizes for what Helez called “disrespectful conduct” during the performance of the BiH anthem at the celebration of the Day of the Army of Republika Srpska and the 3rd Infantry Republika Srpska Regiment in Banja Luka.
Helez’s order excludes cadets studying at military academies in Serbia. He also launched an internal investigation into the presence of Srpska officials at the Kozara barracks. His deputy, Aleksandar Goganović, responded by telling him to read the Law on Defense and stop damaging good-neighborly relations.
After attempting to prevent Republika Srpska officials from entering Armed Forces facilities in Banja Luka, Helez threatened to deploy military police against them and file criminal charges against General Gojko Knežević and Goganović for enabling their entry. As he failed to stop them, he now seeks to justify himself to the Bosniak public by launching an internal inquiry into how Milorad Dodik, Nenad Stevandić, and Radovan Višković accessed the Kozara barracks.
“Once the internal proceedings are complete and all facts are established, we will undertake further actions in accordance with applicable regulations. If responsibility is confirmed, measures will be taken against those identified in the chain of command,” Helez stated.
His orders were met with mild amusement by Republika Srpska officials. Goganović simply said:
“I promised the Day of the Army of Republika Srpska and the 3rd Infantry Regiment would be honored in a dignified and peaceful atmosphere. As for Helez, Duraković, and others who issue threats and investigations—they should first read the Law on Defense,” he said.
After openly supporting student protests in Serbia and hurling accusations and insults at Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Helez took a further step by unilaterally terminating the defense cooperation agreement with Serbia. He was reportedly offended because Minister Gašić remained seated during the BiH anthem at the Kozara ceremony. Dodik was quick to respond:
“Military cooperation decisions with other countries are made exclusively by the Presidency, and by consensus—not by him. Even if the ministry has certain powers, decisions must be made with the agreement of the minister and both deputies. If the deputies are not part of it, the decision doesn’t exist. What Helez says is nonsense,” Dodik stated.
Aware that his decisions carry little weight in Republika Srpska, Helez once again called upon NATO—this time demanding Bosnia and Herzegovina’s unconditional membership—even though Republika Srpska has clearly stated its opposition to NATO and alignment with Serbia’s stance on military neutrality.
“We recently had a meeting with the NATO Secretary General and heard from the UN Security Council that no one should expect NATO or the international community to resolve problems in BiH. The responsibility lies with domestic political actors,” Goganović added.
Helez admitted he had discussed with the Turkish defense minister the possible deployment of military aircraft over BiH but did not clarify the purpose or targets of such actions. He also avoided directly answering why he labeled Republika Srpska a “genocidal entity,” despite overseeing a system in which 34% of personnel are Serbs.
Finally, he confirmed once more that the EUFOR commander assured him that foreign troops in BiH will not be arresting anyone.
Source: RTRS
