Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zukan Helez in his address to the dignitaries, congratulating the members of the Armed Forces and citizens on the 20th anniversary of their activities, said that this anniversary is marked with pride for the Armed Forces of BiH, an institution that has grown into one of the most important pillars of peace, security and statehood of BiH.
Twenty years does not mean only a series of dates and decisions, it is a story of courage, trust, faith in a common future because the formation of a unified armed forces was the clearest proof that Bosnia and Herzegovina can, knows and must live together.
– It was the moment when, after the most difficult years of the war, we decided to build the country on the foundations of trust, togetherness and respect. Today, 20 years later, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are proof that a joint state is possible and successful when we prioritize what unites us, namely the homeland, peace and security of its citizens. The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina showed strength, dignity, and professionalism; they participated in peace missions around the world, helped citizens in natural disasters, showed humanity, discipline and love for the homeland. In a time of deep political crisis and division, they remained intact and professional, far above daily politics. When others tried to separate and weaken, we united and strengthened. When it was difficult, we showed that there is an institution that does not lose its compass but stands by the people, the state and Bosnia and Herzegovina – said Helez.
He especially thanked the international partners, the member states of the NATO alliance, the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo, EUFOR and all other partners and friends.
The long-term support of those partners in the training of members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the modernization of equipment, capacity building and strengthening of interoperability is invaluable.
– Our cooperation is based on trust, professionalism, common commitment to the stability and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thanks to them and the dedicated work of our people, the Armed Forces of BiH today meet the highest international standards. Tonight, when we celebrate the 20th anniversary, I want to make a clear message: The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are capable and ready to fulfill their legal obligations, to defend the territorial integrity, integrity and constitutionality of our homeland, to be at the service of all citizens of our country. They are the legal and moral strength of our country and no one can discourage or stop them. Unfortunately, we are witnessing attempts to reduce the importance of the Armed Forces of BiH, there are politicians whose wish is to see a weak army, and thus the state of BiH. They do this by blocking the budget for the BiH Ministry of Defense, stopping the modernization process and challenging every initiative to improve the conditions and work of the army members. But let them be clear: Bosnia and Herzegovina has an army that will not be suppressed, humiliated and disunited. As long as there are people who believe in this homeland, and there are many of them, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be upright, proud and stable – said Helez.
The future is in modernization, education, investment in human potential as the most important resource of the Armed Forces, he also said.
Member of the BiH Presidency Denis Bećirović he also spoke during the academy, congratulating the members of the Armed Forces and the citizens of BiH on the 20th anniversary.
He emphasized that two decades have passed in the creation and development of the Armed Forces and in their valuable, dedicated and responsible work of serving Bosnia and Herzegovina, building prosperity and reputation on the domestic and international level. That is twenty years of selfless assistance to civilians throughout BiH, top professionalism and valuable training and dedication in saving human lives, capabilities, joint and coordinated action in the armed forces of the NATO alliance countries; twenty years of successful participation in international peace support operations around the world as the best confirmation of the high level of training and professionalism of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
– As we mark this important date, we must be aware of the challenges before us – in the time of global and complex security threats, hybrid, cyber, energy and others, only with joint efforts can we ensure that our country remains stable and safe. Continuous strengthening of the capacities of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, modernization of equipment, additional education and training and strengthening of interoperability – remain a priority. Also, it is important that as a society we do not forget that investing in security means investing in peace and prosperity. The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina successfully completed all tasks. Your professionalism, courage and dedication deserve the highest praise. We can all be proud of the multi-ethnic armed forces of BiH, which belong to and truly serve all citizens throughout the state territory of BiH. It is our obligation to strengthen the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina: this means additional improvement of overall capacities, organizational structure, efficiency and responsibility, military equipment, transparency and finances, and the standard of living of members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Denis Bećirović said.
He expressed special respect to the NATO member states that specifically help in equipping and strengthening the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the last three years, he personally saw, he says, how dedicated NATO’s general secretaries are to a safe and stable BiH. The same determination was expressed by numerous other NATO leaders, Bećirović said, expressing his gratitude to them as well.
He also emphasized the importance of the role of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo and the contribution of EUFOR in preserving the security and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
– We do not want to be a periphery of the security architecture, but an active and responsible part of it. Without a safe and stable BiH, there is no safe and stable region. Our task is to continuously bring the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the standards of NATO countries; everyone must understand that modernization is not only a matter of national security but also of fulfilling international obligations. As an aspirant country for NATO membership, Bosnia and Herzegovina has the obligation to maintain capable and operational forces that can operate effectively. The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have demonstrated high professionalism on numerous meridians and parallels. In less than three decades, Bosnia and Herzegovina has transformed from a recipient to a provider of international military aid. The credit for that primarily belongs to the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina – also emphasized the member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He, like Minister Helez, underlined that the Armed Forces have shown that they serve all people in our country during floods, fires and other natural disasters.
– The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, responded promptly to the proposal of the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina in each of these situations. We unanimously adopted dozens of decisions on engaging the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina to help the civil authorities – said Bećirović, also calling for engagement in building a common Bosnian identity and work for the benefit of all people, to continue reaching NATO standards because they are a guarantee for more security, economic progress and justice.
Full membership in NATO and the European Union, security and stability, are the best inheritance for future generations; it is not only a political ambition but a security and economic imperative, said Bećirović.
He ended his speech with a call to further strengthen the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the main factor in protecting peace and stability for the sake of a safe and stable future.
– The army must remain professional, responsible and in the function of realizing the legally defined mission. The army must serve the country and protect the safety of all people. It is the most honorable mission – said Denis Bećirović, congratulating the members of the Armed Forces, as well as citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the 20th anniversary of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
