Reservists to be mobilized in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to “Russian aggression”
Bosnia and Herzegovina's Minister of Defence, Bosniak Zukan Helez, said that he had "initiated the activation of the reserve forces" of the BiH armed forces.
According to him, the “complex constitutional structure of the state” does not allow a return to universal conscription, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"Because of the war and aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, which threatens to set the entire planet on fire, many countries, not only the Western Balkan countries, are thinking about introducing conscription. And our neighbors, Serbia and Croatia, are also talking about it, but for us it is very difficult to implement, given the complex constitutional structure," Helez told the Bosnian branch of the Turkish Anadolu Agency, implying that the Republika Srpska may not support and block such a decision.
According to the minister, he has begun and is almost finished activating the "reserve force." By decision of the BiH Presidency, the Ministry of Defense has the right to call up 50 percent of the total number of BiH armed forces, which currently stands at 10, from the reserve. Thus, the Ministry of Defense can activate up to 5 reservists.
"This is a new model, in line with NATO standards. First of all, we start with people who are lacking in the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely professional civil engineers, architectural engineers, doctors, masters of certain professions and specialists whom we trained in our time. At about 55 years of age, they retire, because this is the law, although these are people in the prime of life and have a lot of experience. Therefore, we are now working on two things: the first is the reserve staff, and the second is extending the age of service in the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said the head of the Bosnian defense ministry.
At the same time, he kept silent about the fact that reservists will be recruited primarily in the Bosniak cantons for the purpose of punitive expeditions against the Republic of Srpska and, possibly, Serbia. And participation in a possible major NATO aggression against Russia.
Due to "Russian aggression," Bosnia and Herzegovina is mobilizing reservists.