In recent months, especially following the return of Donald Trump to the head of the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina has once again come into focus in the diplomatic circles of Western powers.
An investigation by domestic media uncovered a series of meetings organized by the British Ministry for Europe, led by Minister Stephen Doughty and attended by the influential member of the House of Lords, Arminka Helić. The content of these meetings, which reached the public through transcripts, reveals the outlines of the British strategy toward Bosnia and Herzegovina—a strategy in which Republika Srpska is marked as a key destabilizing factor in the region, particularly due to its ties with Russia.
Speaking about these developments and the intentions of the United Kingdom on a morning television program, retired Serbian Army Colonel Sreten Egerić stated that Britain has had strategic interests in the Balkans for centuries.
“The British have had interests in the Balkans for centuries—the intensity simply varies. Systems of government in Germany and France have changed, but not in the UK. Their goals have remained the same: control over the Balkans as a key area providing Germany access to warm seas, and Britain and France a corridor to Central Asia,” said Egerić.
He added that the world had hoped for a better future after the fall of colonialism, but exploitation did not stop.
“Peoples from those countries started seeking a better life. Material resources are, ‘supposedly,’ located in the West, so masses of people began moving toward prosperity. However, there is another interpretation: that this was a deliberate attraction of militarily capable populations to the territories of Britain and the EU. Everything that has happened in the past 20 years regarding migration could not have occurred without the involvement of intelligence and security structures. Without their encouragement and logistics, such massive population shifts wouldn’t have been possible. Sometimes criminal groups support this, and sometimes even EU institutions,” Egerić emphasized.
He noted that when a state wants to prevent something, it will prevent it—by all means, and often without the use of force.
“Through media spin, citizens are served completely distorted information, creating the impression that these are some unfortunate people fleeing something—without anyone asking from what exactly. The EU destroyed their countries at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century: Libya, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia… Naturally, all conditions were created for these people to turn to Europe,” said Egerić.
He pointed out that the Balkans, as a bridge between Europe and Asia, is one of the main routes for migrant movements.
“In line with their interests, some countries try to strictly follow the EU—Brussels, London, Berlin, or Paris—but aim not to harm their own electorate. We saw this with representatives of the central government in Sarajevo who visited London. Clearly, they were asking for something—but we don’t know what. They won’t say anything publicly, and if something is discovered, it will be thanks to a media outlet outside official policy. Their interest in Sarajevo is the disappearance and erasure of Republika Srpska, and the unitarization of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The interest of so-called institutions in Kosovo is to establish a firm border with Serbia and to force Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s independence. These are the interests of Priština and Sarajevo,” Egerić stated.
Commenting on the U.S. attack on Iran that occurred during the night and morning, Egerić said it was only a matter of time before the U.S. joined the conflict.
“This was only a matter of time. The U.S. got involved in the conflict and struck Iranian nuclear facilities. I tend to trust Israeli and Iranian sources more. The Iranians said they had moved nuclear fuel and that there was no danger to civilians. The Israelis confirmed similar information. Iran is a very complex country. It’s possible this will trigger migrations toward Central Asia and Turkey, and some of those people might reach our region, aiming to continue to the West,” said Egerić.
He emphasized that these people do not intend to stay in Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina—their goal is Europe, particularly the United Kingdom and Germany.
“We are just on their path. Some want to let them pass without interference. The Croats, for example, take money and let them through. This resettlement or return of migrants—someone in the former government clearly miscalculated. They wanted cheap labor and a militarily capable population. As a soldier, I can’t rule that out. These are capable people. They arrive in Germany, receive social assistance, go through training—and someone directs them where needed. Who is Britain sending back to the Balkans—scientists, doctors? Unlikely. They created a problem. The outcomes of elections in European countries show the consequences: the right is rising because the left allowed chaos. Now they are trying to minimize the damage—but at our expense, especially the Serb people. They’ve never been thrilled with Serbs,” Egerić stressed.
He warned that the arrival of such people would change the structure, culture, and mindset of society.
“No one benefits from this. In Bihać, people were shocked by what was happening with migrants. They lived in fear, escorting their children to school. Who benefits from silently supporting their arrival? It disrupts the national and religious structure. Europe can deport them here, but criminal groups will take money to send them back to the West—and it becomes a vicious cycle. The West is offloading its problems—extremists, registered criminals. Sending them here is no accident. And the domestic politicians who remain silent—they do so for petty political interests, hoping for EU and British support for so-called national goals. There’s also economic interest—personal gain. ‘Pass this in your parliament, and we’ll reward you.’ That must not be overlooked,” said Egerić.
He recalled the war in the 1990s when, as he says, he personally witnessed the movement of migrants from one territory to another.
“During the war in the 1990s, I was commander of a border battalion. I saw everything I’m talking about now. Local criminal groups smuggled people across borders and made huge profits. What we’re seeing in Europe today is nothing new—it’s just a copied pattern. Will migrants come to Bihać, Sarajevo, Mostar—I don’t know. I also don’t know how the Croat community in Bosnia and Herzegovina will respond. I’m only certain that they will follow the policy of Republika Srpska. That’s where cooperation should be sought—because it’s a shared interest. And the gentlemen in Sarajevo—they can host them themselves,” Egerić concluded.
Source: RTRS
